Former judges challenge dismissal of Trump’s $10 billion IRS lawsuit

Thirty-five former federal judges have urged a US court to reopen US President Donald Trump’s recently dismissed $10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service, arguing the court should investigate possible “fraud”.

The lawsuit, filed by Trump, his two eldest sons and the Trump Organization, accused the IRS and Treasury Department of leaking tax information through a former IRS employee in 2019 and 2020. The case was abruptly dropped on May 18.

Miami federal judge Kathleen Williams dismissed the case with prejudice after the withdrawal request.

However, retired judges argued in a court filing on Wednesday that key information about a settlement agreement was withheld from the court.

“The Court was deceived,” the former judges wrote.

According to the filing, the Department of Justice later announced a settlement involving a $1.776 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund”.

An addendum reportedly protected the plaintiffs and certain affiliates from IRS enforcement tied to past tax returns.

The retired judges argued the settlement “raises profound questions about the parties’ candor toward the Court and manipulation of the judicial system, which threatens to undermine confidence in the administration of justice”.

They asked the court to reopen the case and investigate “whether a fraud occurred”.