Judge says Trump’s IRS lawsuit misused court

A federal judge ruled that President Donald Trump’s IRS lawsuit was filed for an “improper purpose” and referred one of his attorneys for possible disciplinary action.

The $10 billion lawsuit led to a deal involving tax audit protections for his family and a paused $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund.

In a 56-page ruling, District Judge Kathleen Williams concluded that attorneys on both sides of the case, including Trump’s personal lawyers and attorneys for the DOJ and IRS, misused the legal system to shield actions that benefited the president and his allies.

“This action was never about a party seeking judicial resolution of a legal issue or ⁠a factual dispute,” Judge Williams wrote. Instead, the judge said, it was “an attempt to use the court to legitimize an agreement that would grant immunity to people and entities tied to the president and direct billions in taxpayer funds toward grievances not recognized by law.”

The ruling is unlikely to have a direct impact on the audit agreement, as the lawsuit has been withdrawn and the proposed deal was not entered into the court record.

The judge has banned anyone involved from relying on the settlement in future court cases.