Florida judge rebukes Trump IRS suit, refers lawyer to bar
Why it matters: The order said the settlement's audit shield for Trump clashed with federal law, though the judge did not void the deal.
A federal judge in Miami ruled Monday that President Donald Trump used his $10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service for an improper purpose, saying the case was filed to lend legal cover to a settlement that lacked any real dispute between the parties. U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams referred Trump's lawyer, Alejandro Brito, to the Florida Bar for possible discipline and sent the order to bar groups tied to acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward. Williams wrote that a settlement provision blocking IRS audits of Trump conflicted with federal law and said tax relief in the deal could raise constitutional concerns. But she stopped short of canceling the agreement.