35 Ex-Judges Ask Court If Trump's IRS Deal Was Fraud
Newser • • nation
Key Points:
- A coalition of 35 former federal judges has requested a Miami federal judge to reopen and scrutinize a dismissed lawsuit filed by President Trump against the IRS, alleging potential fraud on the court related to a rapid settlement.
- The settlement created a $1.8 billion fund to compensate individuals claiming they were targeted by the federal government and provided tax benefits and immunity from past IRS investigations to Trump and his family.
- The judges' filing argues Trump sought unlawful private benefits and established a taxpayer-funded pool without proper constitutional or congressional authority, withdrawing the case to avoid judicial scrutiny.
- The Justice Department dismissed the motion as frivolous, stating that case dismissals without disclosed settlements are routine and denying any impropriety in the agreement.
- The original case was dismissed before Judge Kathleen Williams could rule on potential conflicts of interest involving Trump’s oversight of the IRS, and two additional lawsuits have been filed to block the fund payouts.