Philadelphia radio station WURD announced Sunday they would be cutting ties with host Andrea Lawful-Sanders after she revealed she asked President Joe Biden interview questions sent earlier by his campaign for her approval.
WURD Radio president and CEO Sara M. Lomax stated the pre-determined questions not only violated their “practice of remaining an independent media outlet” but the interview was also “arranged and negotiated independently” by Lawful-Sanders, according to a statement posted on the station’s site.
“On July 3, the first post-debate interview with President Joe Biden was arranged and negotiated independently by WURD Radio host Andrea Lawful-Sanders without knowledge, consultation or collaboration with WURD management. The interview featured pre-determined questions provided by the White House, which violates our practice of remaining an independent media outlet accountable to our listeners. As a result, Ms. Lawful-Sanders and WURD Radio have mutually agreed to part ways, effective immediately,” Lomax wrote.
Lawful-Sanders, who hosted 96.1 FM’s “The Source,” conducted a Wednesday post-debate radio interview with Biden. The former host revealed Saturday to CNN she had been offered eight questions to ask Biden, ultimately approving and using four of them.
Lomax continued to call out the standard of the company when it came to questioning the White House, stating the station is “not a mouthpiece for the Biden or any other Administration,” the statement reads. (RELATED: The White House, While Defending Biden’s Mental State, Sent Prewritten Interview Questions, Radio Host Claims)
“Earlier this year when WURD Radio was invited to the White House on February 26 to host a day-long live broadcast featuring interviews with cabinet secretaries and other high-ranking officials, we agreed with the explicit understanding that we were not constrained to their suggested topics or talking points. We were clear that our hosts would ask difficult and provocative questions of their own determination based on the needs and interests of WURD’s listening audience — Black Philadelphians. This is a hallmark of WURD Radio’s local, state and national coverage, day in and day out,” Lomax wrote.
BREAKING: The Philadelphia radio show host who admitted she was given the questions to ask President Biden for an interview, has been cut by WURD Radio.
Holy sh*t.
During an interview with CNN yesterday, host Andrea Lawful-Sanders admitted that she was given questions to ask… pic.twitter.com/mcIU4jza5A
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) July 7, 2024
“This practice of de-legitimizing Black voices continues today. WURD Radio is not a mouthpiece for the Biden or any other Administration. Internally, we will commit to reviewing our policies, procedures, and practices to reinforce WURD’s independence and trust with our listeners. But mainstream media should do its own introspection to explore how they have lost the trust of so many Americans, Black Americans chief among them.”
Following Lawful-Sanders’s admission she used the campaign-approved questions, Milwaukee WMCS host Earl Ingram, who has also interviewed Biden, came forward Saturday and revealed to ABC News how he was also offered five questions by the Biden campaign and used four.
While the Biden campaign has remained adamant they did not “manage the process,” they would no longer be “offering suggested questions,” according to the outlet, citing a Saturday statement.
“While interview hosts have always been free to ask whatever questions they please, moving forward we will refrain from offering suggested questions,” the source familiar with Biden’s booking operation for media outlets told the outlet.
After Lawful-Sanders asked about Biden’s accomplishments, debate performance and upcoming election against former President Donald Trump during the interview, the president notably gaffed when saying he was the “first black woman to serve with a black president.”
The interview came after the Biden administration and its surrogates defended the president’s mental fitness despite concerns from both within the party and voters following his poor debate performance.