- A federal judge sanctioned Donald Trump's legal team, finding they filed a "dubious lawsuit" against the IRS to force a settlement that would bail him and his family out of tax investigations.
- Florida District Judge Kathleen Williams stated the lawsuit was not for judicial resolution but to "provide some legitimacy" for a settlement granting immunity to Trump, his family, and their businesses – and to “earmark billions of dollars from American taxpayers to redress grievances not defined in the law” in what critics called a “slush fund” for his allies.
- The judge referred Trump's attorney, Alejandro Brito, to the Florida Bar for potential disciplinary action and blocked another attorney, Daniel Z. Epstein, from joining cases in the district for at least a year.
- The lawsuit resulted in a "settlement" where the IRS agreed to formally drop existing tax investigations into Trump, his family, and companies, and initially included plans for a $1.8 billion compensation fund that was later blocked.
- Judge Williams concluded the lawsuit was brought for an "improper purpose" to gain judicial legitimacy for a settlement that lacked legal or factual basis, with critics labeling the compensation fund a "slush fund."
IN FULL
