Donald Trump’s ‘get out of jail free card’ slapped down by judge
Donald Trump’s lawsuit which would have seen him and his family permanently exempt from investigation from the US tax office has been struck down by a judge.
Judge Kathleen Williams nullified a settlement in a scathing ruling against the president.
Donald Trump’s immunity settlement with the IRS has been struck down. AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson
She also referred Trump’s lawyer Alejandro Brito to the Florida Bar Association for potential disciplinary action.
Trump had sued the Internal Revenue Service for $14 billion after his tax returns were leaked to the media in 2018 and 2020.
He then dropped the lawsuit in exchange for a settlement with his own government that would prohibit the tax office from ever auditing him or his family.
The deal would mean past tax filings from the Trump family could not be scrutinised.
At the time it was announced, Democratic Congressman Jim McGovern likened it to a “get out of jail free card”.
“Trump’s own government gave him, his kids, and his companies lifetime immunity from IRS audits and tax prosecution,” McGovern said.
“It’s effectively a blanket pardon for cheating on their taxes.”
Todd Blanche is under a disciplinary investigation by the state bar of New York despite being acting attorney-general. AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta
The settlement would also create a $2.4 billion legal fund that would go towards so-called victims of government weaponisation.
That includes people jailed for their roles in the January 6 Capitol riots, later pardoned by Trump.
The fund would distribute $US1.776 billion to claimants through a board appointed by the Trump administration.
Because the settlement was made outside the formal legal system, his lawyers argued it would not require the scrutiny of a judge.
But Williams, who was appointed to oversee the original lawsuit, was highly critical.
“This was an attempt to use the court to provide some legitimacy to an agreement to confer immunity to people and entities affiliated with the president and to earmark billions of dollars from American taxpayers to redress grievances not defined in the law,” she wrote.
“The court finds that this matter was brought for an improper purpose.”
Williams wrote the settlement “had no viable basis in law or fact”.
Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren celebrated the judge’s decision.
“That’s right: Donald Trump’s sweetheart deal with his own IRS is a sham,” she said in a statement.
“In no world should Trump be allowed to bully his IRS into dropping ALL audits of his and his family’s taxes.”
Williams had reopened the case at the behest of a large group of retired judges.
She was specifically critical of acting attorney-general Todd Blanche, who she suggested was representing both sides of the lawsuit.
Todd Blanche represented Donald Trump during the Stormy Daniels hush money trial. nna\sswain
“Acting Attorney General Blanche’s apparent capacity to speak for both plaintiffs and defendants, sign a ‘settlement’ document on behalf of all parties to this action, and then repudiate part of that agreement, demonstrates that there was only one party whose interests were being represented throughout this case,” Williams said.
“This lawsuit was not brought to vindicate rights; it was brought to manipulate the judicial process to pursue benefits unavailable in litigation because the parties were not adverse.”
She wrote she was “extremely troubled” by testimony given by Blanche before Congress, describing it as “at best, misleading and, at worst, disingenuous”.
She also directed her order to be sent to the state bar of New York, where Blanche is already facing a disciplinary proceeding.
The order comes at an awkward time for Blanche, who will face a confirmation hearing to become attorney-general on Wednesday.
Blanche will be forced to answer questions about his handling of this case, as well as his involvement in the Epstein investigation.
Blanche had previously served as Trump’s personal lawyer in the Stormy Daniels hush money trial.
Already one Republican senator on the Judiciary Committee, Thom Tillis, has vowed not to vote for his confirmation.
A second Republican senator, Lindsey Graham, died unexpectedly on Saturday.
A third, John Cornyn, is on the fence on whether to confirm Blanche.
Cornyn was defeated in his re-election bid after Trump endorsed his primary opponent, and will retire from politics in January.
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