A Florida federal judge on Monday rebuked Trump’s law team for bringing a lawsuit against the IRS which almost resulted in a $1.7 billion anti-weaponization slush fund.
Judge Kathleen Williams in a blistering order ruled that Donald Trump sued the Internal Revenue Service “for an improper purpose,” and referred Trump’s lawyer in the lawsuit, Alejandro Brito, to the Florida bar for consideration on whether Brito should be disciplined in light of the findings in the new order.
Williams also ordered a copy of the order to be sent to the New York State Bar, of which Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche is a member, as well as to the District of Columbia Bar, of which Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward is a member.
The ruling also throws out any evasion of tax audits to Trump, the Trump family, or Trump businesses.
Trump no longer has protection from IRS enforcement action in the future related to the previously filed returns, according to the ruling.
Her ruling blocks both Trump, his sons, and business, and the government from “using, offering, admitting, or citing” anything from the so-called settlement agreement in any kind of proceeding in the future.
Williams’ ruling states that the Constitution requires all court cases to actually involve a dispute between two adversaries.
The judge noted that Trump would control both agencies in the lawsuit, both the DOJ and the IRS.
“In sum, the facts before this Court demonstrate there was never adverseness between the Parties; there was never a case or controversy; and there was never a question as to who would prevail,” U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams wrote in a 56-page filing.
Trump tried to sue the IRS for $10 billion over the leak of his tax returns by an IRS contractor, then “settled” for a $1.7 billion fund, which the Trump’s acting AG Todd Blanche claims has been abandoned.
It’s great timing for the ruling, as Todd Blanche appears before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday in a confirmation hearing after Trump nominated him.