The president just used the government he runs to protect himself from the government he runs.
The U.S. government will permanently drop tax claims against President Trump, according to a settlement document made public Tuesday (May 19) — an extraordinary use of executive power that could effectively shield the president from further examination of his finances.
A one-page addendum to the settlement states the IRS is "forever barred and precluded" from pursuing any claims related to Trump, his family members, the Trump Organization, and affiliated businesses — covering all tax returns filed before this week, HuffPost reported. Translation: any audit that may have been in progress is now dead.
The settlement resolved a $10 billion lawsuit filed in Miami federal court by Trump, Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, and their company against the IRS over the leak of Trump-related tax filings by an IRS employee, according to CNBC. As part of the deal, the Justice Department created a $1.776 billion "Anti-Weaponization Fund" intended to compensate people who allege they were targeted for prosecution for political purposes under the Biden administration.
The move drew swift condemnation. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in an emailed statement, per Axios, Trump is handing himself a "get-out-of-jail-free card," adding: "He sued the government he runs, had his own DOJ settle the case and pocketed the prize: special IRS protection for the Trump family."
That's not all. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, during Senate testimony Tuesday, would not rule out allowing people convicted of assaulting police officers during the January 6th Capitol riot to receive compensation from the fund.
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) called it what it is. Per CNBC, Wyden stated the settlement is "clearly a violation of the law that prohibits interference by executive branch officials in IRS audits," and said future administrations should consider the directive completely invalid.
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