The Carroll Standard

Publicly funded NPR hires private lobbyists to pressure Washington in maintaining its public funding

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(Brendan Sasso | The Hill) -- National Public Radio has hired the lobbying firm Navigators Global, according to disclosure forms filed Thursday.

NPR has come under fire from some Republican lawmakers who want to cut off all federal funding to the nonprofit media organization.

Dana Rehm, an NPR spokeswoman, explained that in addition to being a national radio service, NPR is also a trade organization representing its local member stations. She noted that no federal funds are being used to pay for the lobbying firm.

"It is part of our mission to represent the interests of NPR member stations to Congress, executive, regulatory and judicial bodies," she said.

The organization has a Policy and Representation department that has been advocating on behalf of NPR for decades, according to Rehm. ... continues...