Lyft Is Delaying Its New York Launch Until July 14

Lyft is delaying its New York launch until July 14, Bloomberg reports.

Lyft was supposed to launch its service in Brooklyn and Queens tonight.

But earlier today, the Taxi and Limousine Commission and NY Attorney General filed temporary restraining orders against Lyft.

"As it has done in every other city in which it operates, defendant has simply waltzed into New York and set up shop while defying every law passed whose very purpose is to protect the People of the State of New York," the order says. "Despite being warned and told to cease and desist by three separate regulatory and enforcement agencies, defendant has thumbed its nose at the law and continued with its plan to launch in what could become its largest market."

The court has since granted the state of temprorary restraining order that prevents Lyft from launching tonight. The court will reconvene on Monday to address issues regarding Buffalo, Rochester, and New York City.

Lyft announced its plan to launch in Brooklyn and Queens earlier this week. That same day, Lyft got slammed with a cease-and-desist letter from the state Department of Financial Services.

"Lyft's ongoing law violations will not be tolerated and must halt," Superintendent Benjamin Lawsky wrote in the letter, which was obtained by Crains New York.

Business Insider is awaiting comment from Lyft and the TLC. We're also wondering if Lyft still plans to throw its launch party tonight in Brooklyn.

Here's the full statement from A.G. Schneiderman and Superintendent Lawsky.

NEW YORK - Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman and New York State Superintendent of Financial Services Benjamin M. Lawsky today released the following statement regarding their motion for a temporary restraining order against the scheduled New York City launch of ridesharing service Lyft:

"After Lyft rejected a reasonable request by the State to delay its launch, we filed a motion for a temporary restraining order in State Supreme Court this morning. As a result of that action, the court has granted the State a temporary restraining order preventing Lyft from launching this evening in New York City. We will return to court on Monday, to address issues pertaining to Buffalo and Rochester in addition to New York City.

"We pursued this action only after repeatedly offering to work with Lyft in order to ensure that its business practices complied with the law. Instead of collaborating with the State to help square innovation with statute and protect the public, as other technology companies have done as recently as this week, Lyft decided to move ahead and simply ignore state and local laws. Lyft's arguments are a disingenuous attempt to disguise old-fashioned law-breaking that jeopardizes public safety.

"We are pro-innovation and pro-competition, but allowing Lyft to flout dozens of different laws would, in addition to putting the safety of New Yorkers at risk, put law-abiding competitors at a substantial disadvantage -- and discourage innovators from innovating in a place where the regulatory environment is unevenly applied. We are committed to fostering a competitive marketplace where each participant is treated fairly.

"We are hopeful that Lyft will now recognize that it has to play by the same set of rules as everyone else."