'No One Is at the Theater': Did a Federal Judge Just Pre-Empt the Weekend Excuse?

Judge Jennifer Rochon ordered three taxpayer-funded administration ads pulled Friday, including the "$5,000 to Americans" spot, the AP reported. She declined to pull the others the plaintiffs targeted.

The best line was about timing. "Everyone is here. Everyone can hear my order. No one is at the theater," she said, a reference to excuses government lawyers gave when her earlier weekend order was not immediately followed.

Translation: you can't say you didn't get the memo. A government lawyer said he could notify the responsible people right away.

She was also clear about her limits. "This court can neither postpone an election nor turn back the clock," she said. Election Day is Tuesday. The White House called the ruling "lawless."

What we still don't know: how fast the ads actually come down, and whether Rochon expands or reverses the order after more evidence.