President Donald Trump has to keep his administration’s taxpayer-funded political ads off the air through the midterms, a federal judge ruled Wednesday.
Judge Jennifer Rochon’s decision extends her earlier 14-day pause to Nov. 8, giving the plaintiffs — voting rights watchdog Common Cause — time to seek government records and pursue a longer-term injunction. The judge had frozen a $20 million advertising contract and required the Department of Homeland Security to cancel the ad placements.
The decision follows a dispute over whether the administration complied with Rochon’s original order Sunday evening. Common Cause said advertising data showed 570 airings after the order was issued, including 32 on Monday, more than a week after Trump promised to finance the commercials himself.
The Justice Department apologized Monday, explaining that government counsel forwarded the order to agency lawyers Sunday night, but they did not see the email until the following morning. DHS then notified its advertising contractor. The government said it is now complying with the order.
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Rochon will consider permanently barring the government from bankrolling the political ads at a Nov. 4 hearing, the day after Election Day.
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