Judge Orders Trump To Stop Airing Taxpayer-Funded Midterm Propaganda Ads (For Now)
Last week, the DNC sued the Trump administration for using $20 million in taxpayer money on strange and ineffective midterm ads. The use of taxpayer money technically violates multiple laws (remember those?), including the Hatch Act and Federal Appropriations Laws restricting taxpayer-funded propaganda.
Trump's now been ordered to stop airing the ads entirely courtesy of a temporary restraining order issued by U.S. District Judge Jennifer Rochon. The TRO was requested by nonprofit government watchdog group Common Cause which is leading a lawsuit against the propaganda spots.
Advertising data indicates that Trump administration ignored the judge and ran several of the ads on Monday anyway, something the latest filing by Common Cause and allies was quick to point out:
1. On October 12, at 1:31 p.m. Eastern, the Washington Post reported that two ads continued airing after the Court issued the Order and into the early hours of Monday, October 12, on multiple programs, including 60 Minutes," ABC World News Tonight," and America's Funniest Home Videos." Ex. A.
2. According to AdImpact data retrieved at 2:45 p.m. Eastern today, Defendants' ads ran in nearly 400 spots on programs that began airing at 7 p.m. Eastern last night-that is, after this Court's order was in effect. Ex. B
The Trump administration says it has already spent $19 of the $20 million allotted for the ads. In an attempt to pretend they weren't breaking the law, the Trump administration falsely claimed that the propaganda efforts were public service announcements" from US Customs and Border Protection - despite the fact that no government service or program was being advertised.
On October 5 Trump responded to backlash by insisting he'd stop using taxpayer money for the ads and instead fund them via his SuperPAC. But not only is it not legal for Trump to direct his SuperPAC in such a fashion, he clearly lied and never actually stopped using taxpayer money to fund the ads, which continued to air.
The TRO is scheduled to remain in effect for 14 days, and is subject to an extension," Rochon said.
Taking $20 million from a fund that Congress voted to use on border patrol, then spending it on vanity ads for an unpopular president, breaks the checks and balances set in the Constitution," Common Cause said in statement. If the Trump administration wanted to use money on personal promotional ads, they should have asked Congress to pass a bill to do so."
The grand irony is despite illegally stealing taxpayer money to fund the midterm ads, the ads themselves (several of which are just rehashed version of 2024 ads) are only likely to harm vulnerable Republicans now tethered to a disastrous war and Trump's sinking health, polling, and political power.