US judge voids Donald Trump's $1.8bn settlement with IRS that gave him immunity from tax audits

In the initial lawsuit, Trump claimed that nothing had been done to prevent the leak of his private tax information by a former IRS contractor, Charles Littlejohn. Just before the 2020 presidential election, which Trump lost, the leaked information formed the basis of a New York Times investigation that revealed he paid only $750 in federal income taxes the year he won his presidency in 2016, and no taxes at all in 10 of the previous 15 years."President Trump did not pursue his claims until he once again occupied the White House and had appointed his former lawyer, and the former lawyer of persons who are putative beneficiaries of the 'Anti-Weaponization Fund' to prominent positions in the DOJ," Williams wrote, referring to the Department of Justice. "These officials then negotiated on behalf of the United States, with his current lawyers, including his former White House Counsel to reach a 'settlement.' It is risible to suggest that there was ever adverseness between the Parties," she added. One of Trump's attorneys, Alejandro Brito, was also referred to the Florida bar for potential disciplinary action, while a second lawyer, Daniel Epstein, will now be unable to join cases in the Southern District of Florida for at least a year.In a statement to the BBC, a spokesman for Trump's legal team said the IRS "wrongly allowed a rogue, politically-motivated employee to leak private and confidential information" to the media."President Trump continues to hold those who wrong America and Americans accountable," the spokesman added.Calling the agreement a "sweetheart deal" for Trump that had given him "unauthorized and unprecedented" exemptions from tax audit rules, Tax Law Center Policy Director Brandon DeBot said it had gone against "the tax system's protections against political interference".