On behalf of nonprofit clients Oregon Humanities and the Federation of State Humanities Councils, Tonkon Torp filed a lawsuit yesterday in Oregon federal court against the United States DOGE Service and the National Endowment for Humanities (NEH). The lawsuit challenges the disruption and attempted destruction, spearheaded by DOGE, of the congressionally established federal-state partnership between NEH and the 56 state and jurisdictional humanities councils.
“From Mississippi to South Dakota, Maine to California, the Northern Mariana Islands to Idaho, and places in between, NEH funding flows to state and jurisdictional humanities councils who in turn support a multitude of local grass roots public humanities programs throughout the nation,” the lawsuit says. Here in Oregon, NEH funding helps fund humanities programming in every corner of the state—for example funding grants for rural libraries in communities such as Burns, Joseph, Blue River, Newport, and Forest Grove. Per their announcement, Oregon Humanities and the Federation are “asking the court to restore unlawfully terminated grants and to take steps to ensure that congressional appropriations flow to humanities councils so they can fulfill their mandate to serve local communities as Congress intended.”
Tonkon Torp partner and Managing Board member Anna Sortun is leading the Tonkon Torp team handling the lawsuit, which also includes attorneys Steven Wilker, Paul Balmer, and Gracey Nagle.
The lawsuit is already garnering significant media coverage. Follow the links below to read more:
Oregon Humanities sues DOGE for blocking grants | oregonlive.com
Statewide arts group sues DOGE and National Endowment for the Humanities | Willamette Week
Tonkon Torp sues DOGE over humanities funding cuts | Portland Business Journal
Statewide arts group sues DOGE, National Endowment for the Humanities | columbiagorgenews.com
Oregon Humanities sues over federal funding cuts | Oregon ArtsWatch
Oregon nonprofit sues to recover critical federal humanities funding | kgw.com
