“The interview featured pre-determined questions prepared by the White House, which runs counter to our practice of remaining an independent media outlet accountable to our listeners. As a result, Lawful Sanders and WURD Radio have agreed to part ways, effective immediately.”
Lomax said the station is the only independent black talk radio station in Philadelphia. She said such a move betrays the trust the station has built with its audience over the last two decades and is “not something WURD Radio does or supports as a practice or official policy.”
She added that “WURD Radio does not represent the Biden administration or any other administration,” and that “we will work to review our policies, procedures and practices to strengthen WURD’s independence and listener trust. However, mainstream media must do some soul-searching and explore how it has lost the trust of so many Americans, particularly Black Americans.”
“I am stepping down as the on-air host of WURD effective immediately. I submitted my resignation yesterday and it has been accepted,” Lawful Sanders said in a one-minute video posted to Facebook on Sunday.
She then thanked “everyone who’s been a part of this journey, including WURD radio.” She said she was “grateful,” and added, “Life moves on. Things shift and change. And you’ll be hearing a lot more in the next day or so.”
Lawful Sanders’ interview was one of two recorded last week after Biden’s June 27 debate with presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, 78. Biden, 81, appeared tired, confused and incoherent at times during the debate, leading a growing number of Democrats to question whether he should still run.
After the debate, a White House spokesman announced that Biden had recorded two radio interviews: one with WURD’s Lawful Sanders and one with Earl Ingram, which is being broadcast across Wisconsin.
On Saturday, Sanders and Ingraham appeared on CNN, where the host noted that very similar questions were asked in both interviews with Biden. “Were those questions given to you by the White House or were they given to you by the campaign, or did you have to submit your questions prior to this interview?” CNN host Victor Blackwell asked Sanders.
“The questions were sent to me for approval, and I approved them,” she said. Ingraham wasn’t asked about the questions during her CNN appearance, but later told ABC News, “Yes, Biden was asked some questions.” According to the outlet, Ingraham said he was given five questions, of which he asked Biden four. “I didn’t have a chance to ask everything I wanted to ask,” he said.
Late Saturday, Lawful Sanders issued a statement defending her interview and how the questions were negotiated in advance.
“When I was asked to do this interview, what was most important to me was that Black voices were heard. I never felt pressured to ask specific questions,” Lawful Sanders said. “I chose the questions that mattered most to the Black and Brown communities that we serve in Philadelphia, and those questions proved to be exactly what Black and Brown communities wanted.”
Biden campaign spokeswoman Lauren Hitt defended the move in a statement Saturday, saying it is “not unusual for interviewees to share topics they wish to discuss,” and that agreeing on a topic in advance is not a prerequisite for an interview.
Late Saturday, a person familiar with Biden’s booking activities said the campaign would not continue the practice of offering “suggested questions.”
