Florida Judge Rules Trump’s IRS Suit Filed for Improper Purpose and Refers Lawyer to Bar
A federal judge in Miami concluded that former President Donald Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS was filed to lend legitimacy to a disputed settlement, barred use of the settlement in court, and referred the plaintiff’s attorney for possible discipline.
A Miami federal judge ruled on Monday that former President Donald Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service was filed “for an improper purpose,” aiming to give the appearance of judicial legitimacy to a controversial settlement with the Justice Department. The settlement, reached in May, had created a $1.8 billion fund intended to compensate alleged victims of prosecutorial misconduct and included provisions that shielded Trump, his family and related businesses from tax audits and enforcement actions on prior returns. The judge said the settlement can no longer be used as evidence in any proceeding and that the protection it offered is no longer in effect.
Judge Kathleen Williams also referred Trump’s lead counsel, Alejandro Brito, to the Florida Bar for a review of possible disciplinary action. Copies of the ruling were ordered to be sent to the State Bar of New York and the District of Columbia Bar, where senior Justice Department officials are members.
In response, a spokesman for Trump’s legal team claimed the IRS had allowed a “politically-motivated employee” to leak confidential information about Trump and his businesses to media outlets, and said President Trump continues to hold “those who wrong America and Americans accountable.”
The Justice Department has not yet commented on the ruling.