Judge orders Trump administration to cancel TV ads

Court blocks remaining ads

U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Rochon in New York ordered the Trump administration Sunday night to cancel any remaining television ads at issue in a lawsuit over the use of taxpayer money. The temporary restraining order took effect at 6:45 p.m. Eastern and lasts two weeks.

Rochon also barred the administration during that period from entering, renewing or expanding agreements to create, distribute, place or broadcast the challenged advertisements. The order included any commercials scheduled to air Sunday night.

A coalition that includes the nonpartisan watchdog Common Cause brought the case, arguing that the campaign illegally used federal funds to promote Trump’s political message. Democracy Forward represents the plaintiffs.

How the ads were funded

The Department of Homeland Security directed in taxpayer money to the campaign. 20.

In a court declaration, senior DHS official Holly Mehringer said the money came from funds appropriated by Congress that could be used for events and efforts commemorating border security. The ads began airing in late September and included Trump discussing communism, an ad replayed from his last presidential campaign and a commercial about the administration’s capture of former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.

The White House has called the commercials public service announcements and said they were not political because Trump was not on the ballot and the ads did not ask viewers to take action. Trump said in an Oct. 5 social media post that the ads were standard but that he would pay for them through political fundraising.

Administration said campaign was ending

The Justice Department argued in a Saturday court filing that an order was unnecessary because the challenged conduct would end the next day. Rochon nevertheless imposed the temporary restrictions. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a South Dakota Republican, had also said taxpayer dollars should not pay for the ads.