Case: Middle East Broadcasting Networks, Inc. v. United States of America

U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit

President Donald Trump

COMPLAINT against All Defendants ( Filing fee $ 405 receipt number ADCDC-11583333) filed by MIDDLE EAST BROADCASTING NETWORKS, INC.. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons, # 3 Summons, # 4 Summons, # 5 Summons, # 6 Summons, # 7 Summons, # 8 Summons, # 9 Summons)(Verrilli, Donald) (Entered: 04/01/2025)

1 Civil Cover Sheet

View on PACER

2 Summons

View on PACER

3 Summons

View on PACER

4 Summons

View on PACER

5 Summons

View on PACER

6 Summons

View on PACER

7 Summons

View on PACER

8 Summons

View on PACER

9 Summons

View on PACER

REQUEST FOR SUMMONS TO ISSUE filed by MIDDLE EAST BROADCASTING NETWORKS, INC..(Verrilli, Donald) (Entered: 04/01/2025)

NOTICE of Appearance by Donald Beaton Verrilli, Jr on behalf of MIDDLE EAST BROADCASTING NETWORKS, INC. (Verrilli, Donald) (Entered: 04/01/2025)

LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by MIDDLE EAST BROADCASTING NETWORKS, INC. (Verrilli, Donald) (Entered: 04/01/2025)

NOTICE OF RELATED CASE by MIDDLE EAST BROADCASTING NETWORKS, INC.. Case related to Case No. 25-cv-907. (Verrilli, Donald) (Entered: 04/01/2025)

NOTICE OF RELATED CASE by MIDDLE EAST BROADCASTING NETWORKS, INC.. Case related to Case No. 25-cv-799. (Verrilli, Donald) (Entered: 04/01/2025)

NOTICE OF RELATED CASE by MIDDLE EAST BROADCASTING NETWORKS, INC.. Case related to Case No. 25-cv-840. (Verrilli, Donald) (Entered: 04/01/2025)

NOTICE of Appearance by Ginger Dawn Anders on behalf of MIDDLE EAST BROADCASTING NETWORKS, INC. (Anders, Ginger) (Entered: 04/01/2025)

NOTICE of Appearance by Jeremy Kreisberg on behalf of MIDDLE EAST BROADCASTING NETWORKS, INC. (Kreisberg, Jeremy) (Entered: 04/01/2025)

SUMMONS (9) Issued Electronically as to All Defendants, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachments: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zmtm) (Entered: 04/02/2025)

Case Assigned/Reassigned

Case Assigned to Judge Royce C. Lamberth. (zmtm)

MOTION for Preliminary Injunction by MIDDLE EAST BROADCASTING NETWORKS, INC.. (Attachments: # 1 Memorandum in Support, # 2 Exhibit A, # 3 Declaration of Deirdre Kline, # 4 Exhibit 1, # 5 Exhibit 2, # 6 Text of Proposed Order)(Verrilli, Donald) (Entered: 04/09/2025)

1 Memorandum in Support

View on PACER

2 Exhibit A

View on PACER

3 Declaration of Deirdre Kline

View on PACER

4 Exhibit 1

View on PACER

5 Exhibit 2

View on PACER

6 Text of Proposed Order

View on PACER

MOTION for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice :Attorney Name- Adeel Mohammadi, Filing fee $ 100, receipt number ADCDC-11607035. Fee Status: Fee Paid. by MIDDLE EAST BROADCASTING NETWORKS, INC.. (Verrilli, Donald) (Entered: 04/10/2025)

MOTION for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice :Attorney Name- Gabriel Mark Bronshteyn, Filing fee $ 100, receipt number ADCDC-11607043. Fee Status: Fee Paid. by MIDDLE EAST BROADCASTING NETWORKS, INC.. (Verrilli, Donald) (Entered: 04/10/2025)

MOTION for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice :Attorney Name- Hailyn Chen, Filing fee $ 100, receipt number ADCDC-11607047. Fee Status: Fee Paid. by MIDDLE EAST BROADCASTING NETWORKS, INC.. (Verrilli, Donald) (Entered: 04/10/2025)

.Order AND ~Util - Set/Reset Deadlines

MINUTE ORDER: The parties agreed to brief this case alongside Radio Free Asia v. United States, 25-cv-907. The government's combined Opposition to Radio Free Asia and Middle East Broadcast Networks' Preliminary Injunction Motions is due by 4/11/2025 at 5:00 pm. The plaintiffs' combined Reply is due by 4/12/2025. Upon reviewing the parties' filings, the Court will schedule a hearing promptly. Signed by Judge Royce C. Lamberth on 4/10/2025. (lcrcl3)

Order

MOTION for Leave to File Amicus Brief by REPORTERS COMMITTEE FOR FREEDOM OF THE PRESS. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit Proposed Brief)(Brown, Bruce) (Entered: 04/11/2025)

NOTICE of Appearance by Julia Alexandra Heiman on behalf of All Defendants (Heiman, Julia) (Entered: 04/11/2025)

RESPONSE re 11 MOTION for Preliminary Injunction filed by SCOTT BESSENT, KARI LAKE, VICTOR MORALES, OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR GLOBAL MEDIA, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY, RUSSELL VOUGHT. (Attachments: # 1 Appendix A, # 2 Appendix B, # 3 Appendix C, # 4 Text of Proposed Order)(Heiman, Julia) (Entered: 04/11/2025)

1 Appendix A

View on PACER

2 Appendix B

View on PACER

3 Appendix C

View on PACER

4 Text of Proposed Order

View on PACER

REPLY to opposition to motion re 11 Motion for Preliminary Injunction, filed by MIDDLE EAST BROADCASTING NETWORKS, INC.. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A, # 2 Exhibit B, # 3 Exhibit C, # 4 Exhibit D, # 5 Text of Proposed Order)(Verrilli, Donald) (Entered: 04/12/2025)

1 Exhibit A

View on PACER

2 Exhibit B

View on PACER

3 Exhibit C

View on PACER

4 Exhibit D

View on PACER

5 Text of Proposed Order

View on PACER

.Order

MINUTE ORDER: On Thursday, April 17, the Court will hold a hearing on the pending preliminary injunction motions in Widakuswara v. Lake, 25-cv-1015, and Abramowitz v. Lake, 25-cv-887. The hearing will begin at 11:30 AM in Courtroom 15. Plaintiffs will present their arguments first; the Court will break for lunch at 12:30 PM and will reconvene at 1:45 PM; and the government will present their argument once the Court reconvenes. Plaintiffs will be provided time to respond. Once the hearing concludes, the Court will take a brief recess. At that point, the Court will hold status conferences for each of the network grantee cases in which there is a pending motion for preliminary relief: RFE/RL v. Lake, 25-cv-799 (RCL); Radio Free Asia v. United States, 25-cv-907 (RCL); and Middle East Broadcasting Networks v. United States, 25-cv-966 (RCL). Counsel in each of the network grantee cases listed above is encouraged to attend the Widakuswara preliminary injunction hearing, given the interrelatedness of the relief sought in each case. Signed by Judge Royce C. Lamberth on 4/15/2025. (lcrcl3)

Order

NOTICE of Appearance by Abigail Stout on behalf of All Defendants (Stout, Abigail) (Entered: 04/16/2025)

Notice of Hearing

NOTICE of Hearing: Status Conference set for 4/17/2025 at 3:30 PM in Courtroom 15 (In Person) before Judge Royce C. Lamberth. (smc)

MOTION for Leave to File Supplemental Declaration by MIDDLE EAST BROADCASTING NETWORKS, INC.. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A, # 2 Text of Proposed Order)(Verrilli, Donald) (Entered: 04/17/2025)

Status Conference

Minute Entry for Status Conference held on 4/17/2025 before Judge Royce C. Lamberth: Parties discussed posture of case. Court Reporter: Sonja Reeves. (smc)

TRANSCRIPT OF STATUS CONFERENCE before Judge Royce C. Lamberth held on April 17, 2025; Page Numbers: 1-6. Date of Issuance: April 18, 2025. Court Reporter/Transcriber Sonja L. Reeves, RDR, CRR, Telephone number (202) 354-3246, Transcripts may be ordered by submitting the Transcript Order FormFor the first 90 days after this filing date, the transcript may be viewed at the courthouse at a public terminal or purchased from the court reporter referenced above. After 90 days, the transcript may be accessed via PACER. Other transcript formats, (multi-page, condensed, CD or ASCII) may be purchased from the court reporter.NOTICE RE REDACTION OF TRANSCRIPTS: The parties have twenty-one days to file with the court and the court reporter any request to redact personal identifiers from this transcript. If no such requests are filed, the transcript will be made available to the public via PACER without redaction after 90 days. The policy, which includes the five personal identifiers specifically covered, is located on our website at www.dcd.uscourts.gov. Redaction Request due 5/9/2025. Redacted Transcript Deadline set for 5/19/2025. Release of Transcript Restriction set for 7/17/2025.(Reeves, Sonja) (Entered: 04/18/2025)

MOTION for Order Granting Preliminary Injunction by MIDDLE EAST BROADCASTING NETWORKS, INC.. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Verrilli, Donald) (Entered: 04/24/2025)

1 Text of Proposed Order

View on RECAP

.Order AND ~Util - Set/Reset Hearings

Order

MINUTE ORDER: the parties are ORDERED to appear for a Motion Hearing, regarding Plaintiff's Motion for Order Granting Preliminary Injunction, on 4/25/2025 at 02:30 PM in Courtroom 15- In Person before Judge Royce C. Lamberth. Signed by Judge Royce C. Lamberth on 4/24/2025. (lcrcl3)

ORDER granting 11 Motion for Preliminary Injunction; granting 22 Motion for Order. Signed by Judge Royce C. Lamberth on 4/25/2025. (lcrcl3) (Main Document 23 replaced on 4/25/2025) (zsmc). (Entered: 04/25/2025)

NOTICE OF INTERLOCUTORY APPEAL as to 23 Order on Motion for Preliminary Injunction, Order on Motion for Order by SCOTT BESSENT, KARI LAKE, VICTOR MORALES, OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR GLOBAL MEDIA, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY, RUSSELL VOUGHT. Fee Status: No Fee Paid. Parties have been notified. (Stout, Abigail) Modified on 4/25/2025 to add docket link (zjm). (Entered: 04/25/2025)

Transmission of the Notice of Interlocutory Appeal, Order Appealed and Docket Sheet to US Court of Appeals. The Court of Appeals docketing fee was not paid because the appeal was filed by the government re 24 Notice of Interlocutory Appeal,. (zjm) (Entered: 04/25/2025)

Motion Hearing

Minute Entry for Motion Hearing held on 4/25/2025 before Judge Royce C. Lamberth: re 22 MOTION for Order Granting Preliminary Injunction. Court Reporter: Tim Miller. (smc)

USCA Case Number

USCA Case Number 25-5150 for 24 Notice of Interlocutory Appeal, filed by RUSSELL VOUGHT, KARI LAKE, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY, OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET, UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR GLOBAL MEDIA, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, SCOTT BESSENT, VICTOR MORALES. (zdp)

USCA Case Number

STATUS REPORT by SCOTT BESSENT, KARI LAKE, VICTOR MORALES, OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR GLOBAL MEDIA, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY, RUSSELL VOUGHT. (Heiman, Julia) (Entered: 05/01/2025)

ORDER of USCA as to 24 Notice of Interlocutory Appeal, filed by RUSSELL VOUGHT, KARI LAKE, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY, OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET, UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR GLOBAL MEDIA, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, SCOTT BESSENT, VICTOR MORALES ; USCA Case Number 25-5150. (zdp) (Entered: 05/02/2025)

NOTICE of Appearance by Kristin Lee Bateman on behalf of MIDDLE EAST BROADCASTING NETWORKS, INC. (Bateman, Kristin) (Main Document 28 replaced on 5/16/2025) (zdp). (Entered: 05/15/2025)

Consent MOTION to Continue Defendants' Obligation to Respond to Plaintiffs' Complaint Until after the DC Circuit has Issued Guidance by SCOTT BESSENT, KARI LAKE, VICTOR MORALES, OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR GLOBAL MEDIA, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY, RUSSELL VOUGHT. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Heiman, Julia) (Entered: 05/16/2025)

1 Text of Proposed Order

View on PACER

ORDER granting (54) Motion to Continue in case 1:25-cv-00799-RCL; granting (28) Motion to Continue in case 1:25-cv-00840-RCL; granting (31) Motion to Continue in case 1:25-cv-00907-RCL; granting (29) Motion to Continue in case 1:25-cv-00966-RCL. Signed by Judge Royce C. Lamberth on 5/19/2025. (lcrcl3) (Entered: 05/19/2025)

STATUS REPORT by SCOTT BESSENT, KARI LAKE, VICTOR MORALES, OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR GLOBAL MEDIA, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY, RUSSELL VOUGHT. (Stout, Abigail) (Entered: 06/02/2025)

RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 4/9/2025. Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 6/8/2025. (Kreisberg, Jeremy) (Entered: 06/20/2025)

RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 4/14/2025. (Kreisberg, Jeremy) (Entered: 06/20/2025)

RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. SCOTT BESSENT served on 4/14/2025; KARI LAKE served on 4/11/2025; VICTOR MORALES served on 4/11/2025; OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET served on 4/16/2025; UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR GLOBAL MEDIA served on 4/15/2025; UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY served on 4/14/2025; RUSSELL VOUGHT served on 6/18/2025 (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A, # 2 Exhibit B, # 3 Exhibit C)(Kreisberg, Jeremy) (Entered: 06/20/2025)

1 Exhibit A

View on PACER

2 Exhibit B

View on PACER

3 Exhibit C

View on PACER

STATUS REPORT by SCOTT BESSENT, KARI LAKE, VICTOR MORALES, OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR GLOBAL MEDIA. (Heiman, Julia) (Entered: 07/01/2025)

STATUS REPORT by SCOTT BESSENT, KARI LAKE, VICTOR MORALES, OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR GLOBAL MEDIA, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY, RUSSELL VOUGHT. (Heiman, Julia) (Entered: 08/01/2025)

STATUS REPORT by SCOTT BESSENT, KARI LAKE, VICTOR MORALES, OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR GLOBAL MEDIA, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY, RUSSELL VOUGHT. (Heiman, Julia) (Entered: 09/02/2025)

MINUTE ORDER granting Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice 12 . Counsel should register for e-filing via PACER and file a notice of appearance pursuant to LCvR 83.6(a) Click for instructions. Signed by Judge Royce C. Lamberth on 10/14/2025. (lcrcl2)

Order on Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice

MINUTE ORDER granting Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice 13 . Counsel should register for e-filing via PACER and file a notice of appearance pursuant to LCvR 83.6(a) Click for instructions. Signed by Judge Royce C. Lamberth on 10/14/2025. (lcrcl2) Modified on 10/14/2025 (zsmc).

MINUTE ORDER granting Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice 14 . Counsel should register for e-filing via PACER and file a notice of appearance pursuant to LCvR 83.6(a) Click for instructions. Signed by Judge Royce C. Lamberth on 10/14/2025.(lcrcl2)

NOTICE of Appearance by Gabriel Mark Bronshteyn on behalf of MIDDLE EAST BROADCASTING NETWORKS, INC. (Bronshteyn, Gabriel) (Entered: 10/17/2025)

NOTICE of Appearance by Hailyn Jennifer Chen on behalf of MIDDLE EAST BROADCASTING NETWORKS, INC. (Chen, Hailyn) (Entered: 10/17/2025)

NOTICE of Appearance by Adeel Mohammadi on behalf of MIDDLE EAST BROADCASTING NETWORKS, INC. (Mohammadi, Adeel) (Entered: 10/17/2025)