NEW YORK — U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Rochon issued a temporary restraining order on Sunday night directing the Trump administration to cancel all remaining television commercials funded by taxpayer dollars. The order came in response to a lawsuit filed by a coalition including the nonpartisan watchdog group Common Cause, which argued the advertisements constituted an illegal misuse of public funds.
Judge Rochon instructed federal officials not to enter into, renew, or expand any agreements for the development or airing of the challenged advertisements for a two-week period. This includes spots scheduled to air over the upcoming weekend. The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Sunday evening.
In a legal filing submitted late Saturday, the Department of Justice contended that the restraining order was unwarranted because the administration claimed the ad campaign was concluding. However, legal experts have asserted that the spending potentially violates a federal statute prohibiting the use of congressionally appropriated money for “publicity or propaganda.”
The Department of Homeland Security allocated $20 million for the commercials. In a court declaration, senior DHS official Holly Mehringer stated that the funds were drawn from congressional appropriations designated for “commemorating efforts and events related to border security.”
The advertisements, which began broadcasting in late September, have been criticized for featuring clips of President Donald Trump discussing the threat of communism, replays from his previous presidential campaign, and content highlighting the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. Plaintiffs argued these spots serve political rather than public service purposes.
“We are pleased the court acted swiftly to prevent more taxpayer dollars from being used for such blatantly unlawful political propaganda,” said Democracy Forward, the nonprofit legal organization representing the plaintiffs. They added that there is no legal precedent allowing a president to use government machinery and congressional funds to influence electoral outcomes.
The use of public money for the ads drew criticism from within the Republican Party as well. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., stated, “It shouldn’t be paid for with taxpayer dollars.” Meanwhile, the Democratic National Committee has filed a separate lawsuit against the administration regarding the commercials.
Following the backlash, President Trump announced he would cover the cost of future ads using a campaign account. A White House official indicated there were no immediate plans to reimburse the government for expenditures already made.
Wait, is this actually happening? I thought those ads were already pulled. Did I miss something?
Good riddance. Watching public money fuel political propaganda is exactly why we need stricter oversight like this.