Key Facts

• U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams wrote a 56-page decision criticizing the lawsuit brought by President Trump against the IRS.
• The judge referred lawyer Alejandro Brito to the Florida Bar for possible discipline and limited lawyer Daniel Epstein’s ability to work in Southern Florida courts.
• The judge blocked the use of parts of the settlement agreement in any legal or administrative proceedings.
• The settlement included a $1.776 billion fund to pay people who claimed the government was unfairly targeting them, but this fund was later canceled by the Justice Department.
• The settlement also stopped the IRS from pursuing certain tax claims against President Trump and his family businesses.
• A group of 35 former judges asked to reopen the case, saying the settlement resulted from collusion and fraud.
• The judge said no real legal dispute existed because President Trump controlled the executive branch, meaning there was no true opposing party.
• The judge accused the Justice Department of failing to properly defend the U.S. government by agreeing to the settlement, which she said gave improper benefits to President Trump’s affiliates.