JUST IN: Trump Settlement With IRS Also Shields Him, His Family, and His Companies From Agency

(Dave Sanders/The New York Times via AP, Pool)

The bombshell settlement of President Donald Trump’s settlement of his $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS — which established a $1.776 billion fund the Department of Justice will disburse to those it deems victims of government weaponization — was expanded on Tuesday to shield Trump, his family members, and his companies from further action by the IRS.

“The United States RELEASES, WAIVES, ACQUITS, and FOREVER DISCHARCHES EACH of the Plaintiffs from, and is hereby FOREVER BARRED and PRECLUDED from prosecuting or pursuing, any and all claims, counterclaims, causes of action, appeals, or requests for relief, including injunctive relief, monetary relief, damages, examinations or similar or related reviews, appeals, debt relief, costs, attorney’s fees, expenses, and/or interest, whether presently known or unknown, that –as of the Effective Date of the Settlement Agreement — have been or could have been asserted by Defendants against any of the Plaintiffs or related or affiliated individuals (including, without limitation, family or others filing jointly), or parties including trusts, parent, sister, or related companies, affiliates, and subsidiaries,” read an addendum signed by Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and published by the DOJ on Tuesday.

“President Trump’s extraordinary agreement with the federal government he runs expanded Tuesday to end all pending tax audits of him and his businesses, according to a document posted by the Justice Department,” noted The Wall Street Journal in its story on the development.

“The tax code prohibits the president and the heads of executive agencies from directing audits or the end of audits. Violators can be charged with crimes. It isn’t clear whether and how that prohibition would apply to this settlement. The IRS also has a policy of automatically auditing presidents and vice presidents every year,” continued the Journal. “Unlike his predecessors, Trump hasn’t voluntarily disclosed his tax returns. Some of his tax information became public through leaks, including the criminal actions of former IRS contractor Charles Littlejohn. The Ways and Means Committee also published several years of his returns, using a legal process in the tax code.”

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