Cruz Accuses NPR of Political Bias and Partisanship in Scathing Letter, Demands Answers from CPB President

Independent Women’s Forum fellow Beverly Hallberg appeared on ‘Fox & Friends First’ to discuss the scandal engulfing publicly-funded NPR after veteran editor Uri Berliner, who was previously suspended, resigned from his position. Meanwhile, Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) sent a scathing letter to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which distributes federal funding to NPR and PBS, expressing deep concern about National Public Radio’s departure from its stated mission of providing independent journalism that meets high standards. In his letter, Cruz accused NPR of exhibiting a deeply entrenched culture of political bias and partisanship that stands in direct contrast with the principles expected of a taxpayer-funded media organization obligated to represent diverse perspectives. The senator also criticized new CEO Katherine Maher’s overt Democratic activism displayed via resurfaced social media posts, declaring “By continuing to allocate funding to NPR, the CPB is complicit in perpetuating political bias and misinforming the American public at taxpayer expense.” Cruz requested that CPB president Patricia de Stacy Harrison address a series of questions by May 9th or face further legislative action. It should be noted that NPR receives less than one percent of its $300 million annual budget from federally funded CPB, although smaller stations supported by the latter transfer funds to NPR. Berliner’s resignation follows his exposure of how NPR’s coverage has been tainted by politics in recent years.