Judge accuses Trump of weaponizing courts, says he tried to 'manipulate judicial process'
WASHINGTON, DC: A federal judge has accused President Donald Trump of attempting to "manipulate the judicial process" through an IRS lawsuit that she said was designed to legitimize an unlawful settlement benefiting the president and his allies.
In a sweeping 56-page opinion issued Monday, July 13, US District Judge Kathleen Williams concluded that the case was brought in bad faith, imposed sanctions on attorneys involved, and referred several lawyers for possible disciplinary action.
The ruling also scrutinized a proposed $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" fund that has since been abandoned.
The decision marks one of the strongest judicial rebukes of Trump's legal strategy since his return to the White House and raises fresh questions about the administration's handling of high-profile litigation.
Judge rebukes Trump's legal strategy
Williams found that the lawsuit went far beyond resolving a tax dispute and instead sought to use the federal courts to validate a broader political agreement.
"The nature of the suit itself... make plain that this was an attempt to use the Court to provide some legitimacy" to an agreement benefiting individuals and entities affiliated with the president, she wrote.
According to the ruling, the proposed settlement would have created a multibillion-dollar fund while also providing broad tax-related protections for Trump and businesses connected to him. The judge concluded those objectives were not authorized under federal law.
Attorneys face sanctions and referrals
The ruling imposes sanctions on lawyers involved in the case and sends the opinion to attorney disciplinary authorities in New York and Washington, DC.
Williams also referred one of Trump's private attorneys to the Florida Bar for potential disciplinary proceedings and barred another lawyer from appearing before the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida for one year.
The opinion additionally criticized the Justice Department, finding that government lawyers abandoned their obligation to defend the interests of the United States by entering into a settlement that departed from established department policies and exceeded legal authority.
Trump team rejects court findings
Trump's private legal team forcefully rejected the judge's conclusions, arguing the lawsuit stemmed from the alleged unlawful disclosure of the president's confidential tax information.
A spokesperson said the IRS had allowed a politically motivated employee to leak private records involving Trump, his family and the Trump Organization to news organizations.
"President Trump continues to hold those who wrong America and Americans accountable," the spokesperson said.
The Justice Department has not publicly responded to the ruling at the time of publication.
Meanwhile, the judge indicated that retired judges who challenged the proposed settlement could be entitled to recover their legal fees, adding another layer to a case that has become one of the administration's most closely watched courtroom battles.
