Federal judge sanctions attorneys in Trump's IRS lawsuit, calls case an abuse of the courts

A federal judge has ruled that President Donald Trump's lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service was filed in bad faith and attempted to manipulate the judicial process, ordering sanctions against the attorneys involved.

U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams issued a 56-page opinion sharply criticizing both the Justice Department and Trump's private legal team over the lawsuit, which led to a proposed $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" fund for Trump's allies and a Justice Department memorandum intended to shield Trump, his family and his businesses from past federal tax investigations.

Williams wrote that the lawsuit appeared to use the courts to legitimize an agreement that would provide immunity to people affiliated with the president while directing billions of taxpayer dollars toward claims not authorized by law.

The judge referred several attorneys involved in the case to disciplinary authorities, including acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward. She also referred one of Trump's private attorneys to the Florida Bar and barred another from appearing in the Southern District of Florida for one year.

The lawsuit stemmed from the 2020 leak of tax information involving thousands of wealthy Americans, including Trump. Former IRS contractor Charles Littlejohn pleaded guilty to leaking the records and was sentenced to five years in prison.

Williams also questioned the legality of a Justice Department memorandum signed by Blanche that sought to prevent future IRS investigations into Trump, saying it appeared to conflict with federal law prohibiting presidents from influencing tax audits.

The Justice Department has not commented on the ruling. A spokesperson for Trump's legal team defended the lawsuit, saying the president continues to hold those responsible for leaking his tax information accountable.