Federal Judge Blocks Taxpayer Funded Trump Television Commercials
The decision halts a multimillion-dollar federal ad blitz that critics say unlawfully used public money to promote the president ahead of the midterm elections.
U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Rochon issued a temporary restraining order Sunday night against the Trump administration. The order took effect at 6:45 p.m. Eastern Time. It required officials to cancel all remaining television commercials promoting President Donald Trump and his agenda.
Rochon ruled that the administration must pull remaining broadcasts and prohibited new or expanded contracts for the campaign for two weeks. She rejected Justice Department arguments that an order was unnecessary because the ad buys were scheduled to conclude on Sunday.
The administration directed $20 million through the Department of Homeland Security and customs officials for the campaign. An ad firm bought about $19 million in airtime through Sunday, according to a court declaration from official Holly Mehringer. The administration categorized the broadcasts as public service announcements.
At least 13 campaign-style television commercials began airing in late September on networks including Fox News, CBS, and CNN. The spots concluded with a disclaimer stating that the federal government paid for them.
The watchdog group Common Cause, a public employee union, and an Alabama legislative candidate filed the New York lawsuit. The legal group Democracy Forward represented the plaintiffs.
Democracy Forward stated that the court acted rapidly to stop illegal public spending for political messaging. The group added that no legal precedent allows government resources to influence elections. Common Cause President Virginia Kase Solomón stated that her organization will pursue accountability to stop presidents from using public money for propaganda.
The Justice Department argued in a Saturday court filing that a court order was unnecessary. Government lawyers said the ad buys ended Sunday and the administration planned no further purchases.
The White House pointed to an October 5 social media statement from Trump defending the campaign. Trump called the spots positive promotion for the nation and standard practice. He stated that his fundraising committee and his political action committee, MAGA Inc., would finance future commercials.
The White House also said Trump's political action committee would not reimburse the government for the taxpayer funds already spent. Lawmakers and ethics groups previously criticized the campaign, saying it violated federal spending laws ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.
The Democratic National Committee filed a separate lawsuit in Washington federal court over the commercials. The civil lawsuits in New York and Washington continue to move through the courts, while the 14-day restraining order remains in place.
