Republicans are moving to block taxpayer funds from being allocated to National Public Radio (NPR) amid growing concerns about the network’s left-wing bias.
As Slay News reported, it emerged on Tuesday that NPR has suspended a veteran editor who blew the whistle about the outlet’s leftist culture.
Uri Berliner exposed the left-wing bias at the taxpayer-funded outlet during a public rebuke of the organization last week.
Berliner’s five-day suspension without pay began on Friday, NPR media reporter David Folkenflik reported.
As Slay News reported, Berliner penned a bombshell piece in the Free Press that criticized NPR’s coverage of the Russiagate Hoax, the Covid lab leak theory, Hunter Biden’s scandalous laptop, severe anti-Trump bias among staff, and the embrace of the far-left theory of “systemic racism.”
He also accused the organization of downplaying antisemitism following October 7.
Berliner also wrote that registration records in 2021 showed an astonishing disparity between Democrats and Republicans in the NPR newsroom.
He said writers refused to report on stories they felt would “help” President Donald Trump, among other things.
The senior NPR business editor said he made several attempts to relay his concerns before publishing his whistleblowing essay in the Free Press, but the organization’s leadership didn’t hear them.
In response to the suspension of Berliner, Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) has announced that she is preparing to propose new legislation that would cut NPR federal funding if passed.
Sen. Blackburn said she is weighing a variety of legislative options to take on federal funding that goes to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which provides funding to NPR in the form of grants.
She is specifically looking to prevent NPR from benefiting from taxpayer funds, due to its obvious left-wing bias.
“The mainstream media has become obsessed with doing the Left’s bidding and taking down strong conservatives — and NPR has led the pack,” Blackburn said in a statement.
“It makes no sense that the American people are forced to fund a propagandist left-wing outlet that refuses to represent the voices of half the country.
“NPR should not receive our tax dollars.”
Blackburn previously looked to sever the government’s funding to NPR in 2011 when she was serving in the House of Representatives.
At the time, the Republican-controlled House passed a measure that sought to cut $50 million from CPB.
“The time has come for us to claw back this money,” Blackburn reportedly said at the time.
CPB is “fully funded by the federal government,” per the nonprofit’s website.
The organization provides funding in the form of grants to both NPR and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS).
The grants to NPR are used for its international bureaus and distribution infrastructure that provides content to all public radio stations.
In Berliner’s scathing review of his employer’s ideological homogeneity, he revealed that there were “87 registered Democrats working in editorial positions” at the Washington, D.C., headquarters.
He also noted that the HQ employs “zero Republicans. None.”
A spokesperson for Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-TX) said that the congressman is also trying to advance legislation in the House to defund NPR.
Jackson has introduced such legislation on multiple occasions, including the current Congress.
The congressman is actively seeking more co-sponsors for his bill and is pushing House leadership to consider it in the wake of recent events.
Additionally, Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN) similarly released a statement, saying:
“I think Congress should exercise oversight of NPR, especially in light of the recent whistleblower’s allegations and subsequent suspension.”
“Taxpayers fund NPR, and it should be a source that provides a truly neutral and balanced perspective,” he said.
“That can only be achieved through a politically diverse staff, otherwise, it is nothing more than a propaganda machine for the Democrat party.”
A spokesperson for Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) said in a statement:
“Sen. Cassidy was clear that Congress should end public funding for NPR.
“Our office is exploring options to do so.”
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