Trump's $10 Billion Shakedown of IRS Takes Unnervingly Corrupt Turn

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Reposted by Not In Word List Hat
https://bsky.app/profile/kenwhite.bsky.social

Greg Sargent
‪@gregsargent.bsky.social‬

This is insanity: Trump's DOJ is about to "settle" his lawsuit against the IRS by creating a $1.7 billion slush fund to pay off victims of Biden "weaponization."

I talked to Jamie Raskin about this. It's even more corrupt than it first appears. 1/

(new piece)
https://newrepublic.com/article/210521/trump-settlement-irs-slush-fund

Trump’s $10 Billion Shakedown of IRS Takes Unnervingly Corrupt Turn
The president’s “settlement” with the IRS appears set to give him a slush fund of $1.7 billion to dole out to allies. How unconstitutional is it? Jamie Raskin counts the ways.
newrepublic.com
12:35 PM · May 15, 2026

This is insanity: Trump's DOJ is about to "settle" his lawsuit against the IRS by creating a .7 billion slush fund to pay off victims of Biden "weaponization."

I talked to Jamie Raskin about this. It's even more corrupt than it first appears. 1/

(new piece)
newrepublic.com/article/2105...

— Greg Sargent (@gregsargent.bsky.social) 2026-05-15T16:35:24.175Z

Greg Sargent
‪@gregsargent.bsky.social‬

ABC News reports that Trump is set to drop his $10 billion lawsuit against IRS in exchange for DOJ creating a new $1.7 billion fund that will be used to pay "compensation" to Biden "victims." That could potentially include the Jan 6 insurrectionists. 2/

https://newrepublic.com/article/210521/trump-settlement-irs-slush-fund


12:42 PM · May 15, 2026

ABC News reports that Trump is set to drop his billion lawsuit against IRS in exchange for DOJ creating a new .7 billion fund that will be used to pay "compensation" to Biden "victims." That could potentially include the Jan 6 insurrectionists. 2/

newrepublic.com/article/2105...

— Greg Sargent (@gregsargent.bsky.social) 2026-05-15T16:42:53.529Z

Greg Sargent
‪@gregsargent.bsky.social‬

Here's the rub. The slush fund will be drawn from a larger Treasury Department fund. The latter compensates actual victims of the government.

But the new one will be put under Trump's direct control in a new way and untangled from any oversight, Raskin notes. 3/

https://newrepublic.com/article/210521/trump-settlement-irs-slush-fund


12:50 PM · May 15, 2026

Here's the rub. The slush fund will be drawn from a larger Treasury Department fund. The latter compensates actual victims of the government.

But the new one will be put under Trump's direct control in a new way and untangled from any oversight, Raskin notes. 3/

newrepublic.com/article/2105...

— Greg Sargent (@gregsargent.bsky.social) 2026-05-15T16:50:55.668Z

Greg Sargent
‪@gregsargent.bsky.social‬

Raskin says the fund is unconstitutional. Congress didn't structure it. 14th Amendment prohibits obligations in service of insurrection.

Raskin says Dem House will shut it down and compel transparency on payments. He's calling on Rs to legislate against it now. 4/

https://newrepublic.com/article/210521/trump-settlement-irs-slush-fund


1:01 PM · May 15, 2026

Raskin says the fund is unconstitutional. Congress didn't structure it. 14th Amendment prohibits obligations in service of insurrection.

Raskin says Dem House will shut it down and compel transparency on payments. He's calling on Rs to legislate against it now. 4/

newrepublic.com/article/2105...

— Greg Sargent (@gregsargent.bsky.social) 2026-05-15T17:01:29.069Z