No more taxpayer-funded government ads: New York judge blocks US President Donald Trump’s ad campaign | Today’s news
A federal judge in New York has temporarily blocked some government ads. The ads praise President Donald Trump and were paid for with taxpayer money.
Judge Jennifer Rochon issued the order on the night of October 11. It also halts any public payments associated with airing those ads, Bloomberg reported.
The order takes 14 days, and it weighs a longer block. The ads ran on cable and broadcast channels across the US in recent weeks. They were opposed by Democrats and other Trump critics. At least one top Senate Republican also objected.
The U.S. Justice Department told the judge that the ads will stop after Sunday. She said Homeland Security has no plans to buy more sites. It also said it would not use money authorized by Congress for similar contracts.
But the judge was not convinced. She said the challengers would suffer irreparable harm. She said the temporary halt serves the public interest. She also didn’t think the dispute had become irrelevant.
Challengers include a Democratic candidate for statewide office from Alabama. Union political advocacy groups and a government watchdog group also joined. They accuse the White House of violating a law passed by Congress.
This law prohibits the use of taxpayer money for unauthorized promotion and propaganda. The coalition welcomed the court’s swift progress. She said the president has no legal reason to use government funds to influence an election.
The second lawsuit
A second trial is underway in Washington. It was filed by the Democratic National Committee. Both lawsuits allege the ads are aimed at influencing voters ahead of the midterms. They say the use of public money puts Democrats at a disadvantage. The judge has not yet ruled on the committee’s request.
The ads feature photo montages and video clips of Trump. They cover his policies, including the war against Iran and operations in Venezuela.
According to the New York Times, Trump ordered Russell Vought to use government funds. Vought heads the Office of Management and Budget. The contract was worth 20 million dollars. The money came from the Department of Homeland Security.
Defense of the White House
The White House calls the ads presidential public announcements. Rumor has it that Trump is not running in the November election. It also says the ads are not endorsing any particular candidate.
After criticism from both parties, Trump announced the change earlier in October. He said he would personally pay for future ads. He would also use his super PAC MAGA Inc.
According to his opponents, this will not solve the problem. Millions of taxpayer dollars have already been wasted. New ads are ready but not yet showing. The supplier holds them.
