Widakuswara v. LakeFiled: March 21, 2025
Coalition sues to return employees to work
The lawsuit has led to major victories for the plaintiffs, including a March 2026 ruling that called for VOA's broadcasts to be restored.
Widakuswara v. Lake plaintiffs (left to right) Patsy Widakuswara, Jessica Jerreat and Kate Neeper.
Updated
Filed one week after President Donald Trump signed his March 14, 2025, executive order that began dismantling VOA, Widakuswara v. Lake has led to major court victories for the plaintiffs. Following the first hearing of the case at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, Judge Paul Oetken granted a temporary restraining order that prohibited USAGM from immediately carrying out its planned layoffs, including for about 600 contractors.
After the case was moved to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in April 2025, District Judge Royce Lamberth issued a preliminary injunction that ordered USAGM to restore VOA programming to fulfill a statutory mandate that VOA “serve as a reliable and authoritative source of news.” To uphold this injunction, Lamberth paused mass layoffs at VOA and USAGM set to take effect in September 2025.
Then, after nearly a year of litigation, Lamberth issued a pair of momentous orders in March 2026. In the first, he ruled that Kari Lake was not lawfully appointed to lead USAGM and voided all her actions. In the second, he said Lake’s attempt to bring VOA and USAGM to the “statutory minimum” was unlawful and ordered VOA’s broadcasts to resume and for employees on administrative leave be returned to work. The return-to-work order was later stayed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
Named plaintiffs of Widakuswara v. Lake recap what the SaveVOA campaign achieved in 2025.
Recent statements from the plaintiffs
Plaintiffs undeterred following stay of return-to-work order
Published
We always knew the road would be long and difficult. This development will not deter us from our fight to restore VOA’s global operations and to broadcast journalism, not propaganda.
— Patsy Widakuswara, Jessica Jerreat and Kate Neeper
Plaintiffs eager to rebuild VOA following judge’s return-to-work order
Published
This is a monumental decision, and we are deeply grateful. We are eager to begin repairing the damage Kari Lake has inflicted on our agency and our colleagues, to return to our congressional mandate, and to rebuild the trust of the global audience we have been unable to serve for the past year. We know the road to restoring VOA’s operations and reputation will be long and difficult. We hope the American people will continue to support our mission to produce journalism, not propaganda.
— Patsy Widakuswara, Jessica Jerreat and Kate Neeper
Plaintiffs welcome USAGM providing court with succession plan
Published
We’re glad to see that the government has provided the court with information regarding USAGM leadership, and eager to see their plans for the agency’s congressionally-appropriated funds. Our objectives remain the same: to restore VOA’s global presence, and to ensure it continues to provide accurate, objective, and comprehensive news, as required by law.
— Patsy Widakuswara, Jessica Jerreat and Kate Neeper
Plaintiffs call ruling a 'powerful step' to undo 'damage' inflicted by Kari Lake
Published
We feel vindicated and deeply grateful. The judge’s ruling that Kari Lake’s actions shall have no force or effect is a powerful step toward undoing the damage she has inflicted on this American institution that we love. Even as we work through what this ruling means for colleagues harmed by her actions, it brings renewed hope and momentum to the next phase of our fight: restoring VOA’s global operations and ensuring we continue to produce journalism, not propaganda.
— Patsy Widakuswara, Jessica Jerreat and Kate Neeper
“We are eager to begin repairing the damage Kari Lake has inflicted on our agency and our colleagues, to return to our congressional mandate, and to rebuild the trust of the global audience we have been unable to serve for the past year.”
— Plaintiffs Patsy Widakuswara, Jessica Jerreat and Kate Neeper