DNC sues administration over taxpayer-funded pro-Trump TV ads

Reported by NBC News. The paragraphs below are the opening of that article, reproduced word for word — not a summary, and not the whole piece.

The Democratic National Committee sued the Trump administration Wednesday over its taxpayer-funded advertisements that portray President Donald Trump in a favorable light, alleging the ads violate federal laws on government spending and propaganda.

The DNC cited a measure Trump signed into law this year that says funds appropriated by Congress can’t be used “for publicity or propaganda purposes within the United States not heretofore authorized by Congress.”

The lawsuit also cites the Anti-Deficiency Act, which bars spending government money that hasn’t been appropriated by Congress, and the Purpose Statute, which says taxpayer funds can be used only for the specific purposes approved by Congress.

The DNC said the administration’s use of taxpayer dollars for “campaign-style advertisements” deprived Democrats “of a fair electoral process by adding public funds to the resources available to support Republican candidates.” The use of public funds places Democratic candidates at an electoral disadvantage, it argued.

The watchdog group Common Cause filed its own suit making similar legal arguments, alleging the administration had violated appropriations statutes.

The ads, launched last month, sparked criticism from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, many of whom questioned their legality.