Federal Judge Orders Kari Lake Deposition in Voice of America Shutdown Case

Senior U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth has ordered Kari Lake, a senior adviser to the Trump administration at the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), to testify under oath and submit documents by September 15 regarding her role in the drastic cuts and effective dismantling of Voice of America (VOA). The judge warned Lake she is "verging on contempt of court" for ignoring previous orders to disclose information on her actions, which include suspending most VOA employees, reducing its 49-language service to four, and striking a content deal with the far-right One America News Network, raising concerns about political impartiality. Lake has challenged the court's authority over the case, accusing Judge Lamberth of overstepping his jurisdiction. The scrutiny follows lawsuits filed by VOA journalists and former officials, citing that the shutdown violates congressional mandates requiring VOA to continuously broadcast unbiased news globally. The judge criticized the Trump administration officials, including Lake and Frank Wuco, for providing inconsistent and evasive information about VOA's operational status and compliance with legal requirements. This deposition appears to be a final opportunity to clarify VOA’s status before potential contempt proceedings.