Elez Biberaj
Acting director, Voice of America
Aug. 31, 2020

The undersigned Voice of America journalists are compelled to
express our profound disappointment with the actions and
comments of the chief executive officer of the U.S. Agency for
Global Media, which endanger the personal security of
VOA reporters at home and abroad, as well as threatening to
harm U.S. national security objectives.
Michael Pack's actions risk crippling programs and projects for
some countries that are considered national security priorities.
He has ordered the firing of contract journalists, with no valid
reason, by cancelling their visas, forcing them back to home
countries where the lives of some of them may be in jeopardy.
Now the purge appears to be expanding to include U.S. permanent
residents and even U.S. citizens, with Mr. Pack recklessly
expressing that being a journalist is “a great cover for a spy.”

We have watched in dismay as USAGM executives have been
dismissed for, in their words, attempting to educate the new CEO
on avoiding legal violations, as well as guiding him on the
firewall that protects VOA's legally mandated editorial
independence.
Just as concerning are Mr. Pack's public comments, including
bantering with a podcast host about turning off the air
conditioning and banning masks inside VOA's headquarters, as
part of his effort to "drain the swamp."
Mr. Pack has made a thin excuse that his actions are meant to
protect national security, but just as was the case with
the McCarthy 'Red Scare,' which targeted VOA and other
government organizations in the mid-1950's, there has not been a
single demonstrable case of any individual working for VOA -- as
the USAGM CEO puts it -- "posing as a spy."

 Many of us have repeatedly put ourselves in harm's way abroad
for our audiences of several hundred million people in nearly 50
languages. In line with strictly upholding the VOA charter,
which was signed into law in 1976, we insist on competent and
professional oversight for VOA and our sister media
organizations, including the Middle East Broadcasting Networks,
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Radio/TV Marti.
Given these concerns we fear that the current USAGM leadership
is failing not only the news organizations of USAGM (one of the
world's largest broadcasting entities) and our
audiences, but also our stakeholders, including the American
public.
Signed,

Aline Barros
Immigration reporter
Peter Cobus
Hub editor
Steve Herman
White House bureau chief
Mike O’Sullivan
Los Angeles bureau chief
Brian Padden
Senior news correspondent

Aru Pande
Editor
Carol Pearson
Senior health reporter
Anita Powell
Southern Africa correspondent

 Bill Rodgers
Editor
Esha Sarai
Education reporter
Jeff Seldin
National Security correspondent
Chris Simkins
National Affairs correspondent
Ayesha Tanzeem
Islamabad bureau chief
Patsy Widakuswara
White House senior correspondent