WASHINGTON – The Biden government acted quickly on Thursday to appoint a new leadership in Voice of America and other US-funded media, replacing a Trump ally with a news editor he recently demoted.
On their first full day in office, the Biden government dismissed Voice of America director Robert Reilly and his deputy Elizabeth Robbins and replaced them with seasoned journalists with long careers at VOA and other government-funded networks, according to a statement from the US Agency for Global Media, which oversees the media.
Reilly was replaced by Yolanda Lopez, news editor who will serve as VOA’s interim director. Reilly had only relocated Lopez a few days after one of the journalists under his supervision shouted questions to then Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at a January 11 event at Voice of America headquarters.
Pompeo gave a speech and sat down for a question and answer session with Reilly later, but reporters didn’t get a chance to ask questions. When a VOA reporter, White House correspondent Patsy Widakuswara, tried to ask questions, Reilly shouted at her, according to a recent protest letter from VOA journalists. Hours later, Widakuswara was expelled from the White House by Reilly.
Reilly, a conservative commentator, is the author of books like “Making Gay Okay: How Rationalizing Homosexual Behavior is Changing Everything”.
Even after Joe Biden was sworn in as president on Wednesday, Robbins and another former Trump administration political representative at the agency, John Jaggers, continued efforts to try to fire several employees on Thursday, according to David Seide, a lawyer representing employees.
The two pressed to remove the employees, although the Biden administration had issued instructions to suspend any personal actions or procedures on VOA and other networks.
Shortly after midnight on Thursday, four employees received a letter from Jaggers stating that they were being removed “as of the date of this letter,” said Seide, who shared excerpts from the document with NBC News.
The new leadership of the United States Agency for Global Media, which had already formally taken charge on Wednesday night, quickly terminated the letters on Thursday, Seide said.
Jaggers did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
At around 1pm on Thursday, more than 24 hours after Biden’s inauguration, Elizabeth Robbins sent an email to an employee stating that an administrative hearing related to the possible removal was about to take place, with or without his presence.
“It’s another example of petty revenge that is still incredible,” said Seide.
Robbins told NBC News that he believed he was following federal regulations when seeking to remove an employee who allegedly violated the terms of his employment contract. If the process had continued, it would have been difficult for VOA’s new management to reverse because it would have been retained by federal rules, according to Robbins.
When Robbins was informed by the new administration that she was being fired, she replied that such a move would be illegal, citing recently passed legislation on VOA governance, Robbins said.
Her work email was then turned off and she was escorted by security, said Robbins.
VOA director Reilly also claimed that his dismissal was illegal and he was also escorted out of the building, she said.
Robbins said his removal was “politically motivated” and intended to suppress allegations of complaints made by some VOA employees.
The Biden administration appointed Kelu Chao, who worked for almost 40 years at VOA as a journalist and manager, as acting CEO of VOA’s controlling agency, the US Agency for Global Media. Brian Conniff, who held senior management positions at the agency and was president of the United States-funded Middle East Broadcasting Networks, has been named as its vice president.
Chao replaced Michael Pack, a controversial nominee for Trump who was accused by lawmakers and press freedom groups of undermining the editorial independence of VOA and other vehicles. A federal judge recently banned Pack from making personnel decisions at VOA and other USAGM broadcasters. Pack appointed Reilly as director of VOA just a few weeks before the Biden government took over.
Pack was asked to step down shortly after Biden took office on Wednesday at noon and he announced his resignation before 2 pm EST.