BS BULLETIN

• A federal judge temporarily blocked remaining advertisements from a $20 million DHS-funded campaign.
• The lawsuit questions whether taxpayer funds were improperly used for political promotion.
• The temporary order is not a final ruling that the advertisements violated federal law.

A federal judge in New York issued a temporary restraining order Sunday blocking the Trump administration from continuing a multimillion-dollar television advertising campaign that critics argue improperly used taxpayer money to promote President Donald Trump’s political message.

U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Rochon directed the administration to cancel any remaining advertisements, including commercials scheduled to air Sunday evening.

The campaign was financed with $20 million in Department of Homeland Security funding.

The legal challenge was brought by a coalition that includes Common Cause, a government watchdog organization. The plaintiffs argued that federal appropriations were being used for political promotion rather than authorized government purposes.

The dispute raises questions about the line between legitimate government public-information campaigns and taxpayer-funded political advertising.

Federal law restricts the use of appropriated funds for certain publicity or propaganda activities.

The administration had argued that emergency judicial intervention was unnecessary because the advertising campaign was already coming to an end.

In a filing Saturday, Justice Department lawyers said the challenged conduct would end the following day.

Nevertheless, Rochon granted a two-week order preventing officials from entering into new agreements, renewing existing arrangements or expanding contracts connected with the disputed advertisements.

The ruling also requires the cancellation of remaining scheduled commercials.

The order is temporary and does not represent a final judicial determination that the campaign violated federal law.

Asked for comment, the White House referred reporters to an earlier statement in which Trump defended the advertisements while saying he would pay for them using political fundraising.

The case adds another federal court dispute to the administration’s growing list of legal battles over the boundaries of executive authority.

For the plaintiffs, the central issue is whether government money was improperly used to advance a political message.

For the administration, the immediate question is what practical effect the court’s order will have on a campaign it says was already winding down.

DBS WIRE SOURCES

• Associated Press — Judge orders cancellation of taxpayer-funded promotional advertisements
• Deadline — Judge orders halt to Trump advertisements