Public Advocate Sohn Urges Audience to Mobilize, and to Sue

May 21, 2025 – Gigi Sohn issued a call to arms Wednesday, urging digital equity advocates to mobilize their states’ attorneys general and sue the Trump administration over its abrupt cancellation of grants under the Digital Equity Act.

Speaking at Net Inclusion 2025, the Benton Institute’s senior fellow and executive director of the American Association for Public Broadband urged attendees to organize, educate policymakers, and pressure state attorneys general to sue for the return of nearly $3 billion in federal grant funding.

“Nearly $3 billion in funding and years of work came to a halt,” Sohn said, referring to the abrupt cancellation of the Digital Equity Act grants. On May 8, President Donald Trump took to Truth Social to announce the cancellation of the DEA, calling it “unconstitutional” and “racist.” 

Sohn said the reverse was the case: That it was illegal and unconstitutional for Trump to cancel funds appropriated by Congress.

Sohn said she rewrote her speech, and titled it “DEA: Defend, Educate, Advocate,” afterwards. 

She urged participants to meet with their state attorneys general, advocate for lawsuits against the administration, and publicly share how DEA funding has transformed their communities. “The more [lawsuits], the merrier,” she said.

“The most important state actors for the situation we find ourselves in today are the state attorneys general. They can, and should, sue the Trump administration to make the Digital Equity Act funds available immediately,” Sohn said. 

Many state broadband offices said they were working with their attorneys general to determine steps forward.

While acknowledging the uphill battle ahead, Sohn told attendees that they had already built a new and vital field of public service, one dedicated to ensuring every American can participate fully in modern life. “Every one of you in this room created an entirely new field of work,” she said.

Ending her remarks on a resolute note, Sohn told the audience: “Stick together, endure this hardship, protect what we have built. Because the alternative is unacceptable.”