NPR CEO Defies House Committee Request, Faces Backlash from Republicans

NPR CEO Katherine Maher has declined a request to appear before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on Wednesday, citing a previously scheduled meeting with the organization's board of directors. The decision has drawn criticism from Republicans, who have accused NPR of bias and discrimination against conservative viewpoints.

NPR CEO Katherine Maher will not be appearing before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on Wednesday, despite a request from Chairwoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash.

A spokesperson for NPR confirmed to Fox News Digital that Maher would not be appearing as requested, citing an all-day meeting with the organization's board of directors.

"NPR respects the Committee and its request and has offered to testify on a date in the near future that works for the Committee and Maher," the spokesperson said in a statement.

According to NPR, the board of directors meeting was previously scheduled and has been publicly posted.

"These meetings are scheduled more than a year in advance. This meeting will be Maher’s first opportunity to review and consult with the Board on the challenges and opportunities facing the organization, including a strategy to lead NPR forward in fulfilling its public service mission to serve all of America," they continued.

The spokesperson noted that Maher has only been CEO for six weeks, making such a meeting that much more important.

NPR has faced backlash for nearly a month following a scathing essay from a former senior editor.

Last week, McMorris Rodgers wrote a letter to Maher requesting her appearance on Wednesday.

"The Committee has concerns about the direction in which NPR may be headed under past and present leadership," the congresswoman explained.

A committee spokesperson responded to Maher's decision to defy the request in a statement to Fox News Digital, remarking, "It speaks volumes that Ms. Maher has chosen not to appear tomorrow to answer for how her taxpayer-funded news outlet discriminates against the viewpoints of millions of Americans."

"The Chair looks forward to reviewing her thorough and transparent responses to the Committee’s letter," they added.

NPR has faced renewed scrutiny from Republicans over the past month since a then-senior editor at the organization aired significant concerns about its integrity in an essay. Among other revelations, Uri Berliner discovered that the NPR newsroom was composed of nearly entirely Democrats and no Republicans.

Some Republicans have called for federal funding that is given to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) for NPR to be revoked amid the discovery.