Overview

• The Justice Department lodged a quo warranto suit on July 15 in Washington to declare CPB board members Laura Ross, Diane Kaplan and Tom Rothman unlawfully holding office
• The federal complaint asks the court to void all board decisions taken since their April 28 emails of termination and to order repayment of any post-removal compensation
• The administration contends that President Trump validly removed the trio under Article II and the Public Broadcasting Act, asserting that CPB’s May bylaw amendments came too late to affect the April firings
• U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss rejected a CPB request for a preliminary injunction in June but emphasized the board’s independent bylaws limit executive removal powers
• Senate Republicans plan a vote this week on rescinding $1.1 billion in CPB appropriations for fiscal years 2026–2027 after Trump threatened to withhold support from dissenting lawmakers