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Robert Reich: Here's How To Counter Trump's $10 Billion Lawsuit Against the IRS

Link: https://robertreich.substack.com/p/how-to-counter-trumps-10-billion
Trump is suing the IRS for $10 billion.
He accuses the IRS of not doing enough to prevent a former IRS contractor from leaking Trumps tax returns to The New York Times in 2020. (Using those tax returns, The Times published a series of articles revealing that Trump had paid little or no income tax for many years.)
On February 18, Trumps lawyers served the government with the lawsuit, giving the Justice Department 60 days to respond a deadline that will be reached, ironically, just around tax day, April 15.
So whos representing you and me and other American taxpayers in this lawsuit? After all, if he wins, well be the ones to have to fork over the $10 billion to him.
This is beyond bizarre. Trump heads the executive branch of the United States government. And since being installed as president for the second time, hes consolidated that power into the closest thing to a dictatorship weve ever had in this country.
Hes decided on his own to wage a war in Iran, decided on his own not to spend money that Congress has appropriated, decided on his own to move money from one purpose to another, decided on his own to shut down entire federal agencies without Congresss okay, decided on his own to fire the heads of independent agencies and to fire independent inspectors general.
Hes also taken over the Justice Department instructing his attorney general to prosecute particular people he deems to be his enemies and to pardon those he believes are his friends and supporters (including 1,200 people jailed for rioting at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021).
- more at link -
He accuses the IRS of not doing enough to prevent a former IRS contractor from leaking Trumps tax returns to The New York Times in 2020. (Using those tax returns, The Times published a series of articles revealing that Trump had paid little or no income tax for many years.)
On February 18, Trumps lawyers served the government with the lawsuit, giving the Justice Department 60 days to respond a deadline that will be reached, ironically, just around tax day, April 15.
So whos representing you and me and other American taxpayers in this lawsuit? After all, if he wins, well be the ones to have to fork over the $10 billion to him.
This is beyond bizarre. Trump heads the executive branch of the United States government. And since being installed as president for the second time, hes consolidated that power into the closest thing to a dictatorship weve ever had in this country.
Hes decided on his own to wage a war in Iran, decided on his own not to spend money that Congress has appropriated, decided on his own to move money from one purpose to another, decided on his own to shut down entire federal agencies without Congresss okay, decided on his own to fire the heads of independent agencies and to fire independent inspectors general.
Hes also taken over the Justice Department instructing his attorney general to prosecute particular people he deems to be his enemies and to pardon those he believes are his friends and supporters (including 1,200 people jailed for rioting at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021).
Wow, Robert Reich makes a very good point here.... The "immunity" that the Supreme court gave Chump doesn't cover Chump's nuisance lawsuit against the US Government. So he can be countersued and taken to court! Please read the rest on Reich's daily blog.
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Robert Reich: Here's How To Counter Trump's $10 Billion Lawsuit Against the IRS (Original Post)
FakeNoose
Apr 10
OP
MaddowBlog-Judge questions whether Trump can sue his own administration for $10 billion
LetMyPeopleVote
Monday
#4
rampartd
(4,806 posts)1. he is sueing his own irs contractor
his own employee.
i'd question why unsworn private sector nobodiies are handling sensitive information .
FakeNoose
(42,093 posts)2. Robert Reich's point is that the taxpayers should sue Chump for $20 billion
If we did this, the nuisance lawsuit would go away immediately.
rampartd
(4,806 posts)3. i'm ready for a class action.
LetMyPeopleVote
(181,245 posts)4. MaddowBlog-Judge questions whether Trump can sue his own administration for $10 billion
If the president was waiting for a payout from his IRS lawsuit, a federal judge suggested he might need to start lowering his expectations.
Judge questions whether Trump can sue his own administration for billion
— Mike Walker (@newnarrative.bsky.social) 2026-04-27T19:11:24.754Z
www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...
https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/judge-questions-whether-trump-can-sue-his-own-administration-for-10-billion
In response to highly dubious civil lawsuits, the Trump Justice Department has been exceedingly generous lately, agreeing to lucrative settlements with plaintiffs who are politically aligned with the White House. Whether Donald Trump will be among the beneficiaries, however, remains an open question.
A federal judge suggested late last week that the president might have to lower his expectations. Politico reported:
Although President Trump avers that he is bringing this lawsuit in his personal capacity, he is the sitting president and his named adversaries are entities whose decisions are subject to his direction, Williams wrote in a four-page order.
It is unclear to this Court whether the Parties are sufficiently adverse to each other so as to satisfy Article IIIs case or controversy requirement, the judge added, referring to the Constitution.....
Shortly after his lawyers filed the case, the president told reporters that he assumed nobody would care if he received a lucrative payout as part of the frivolous litigation. That payout now appears in doubt. Watch this space.
A federal judge suggested late last week that the president might have to lower his expectations. Politico reported:
President Donald Trumps $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS over the leaking of his tax returns ran into turbulence Friday as a judge ordered a hearing on whether the Constitution allows the president to sue the federal government he oversees.
U.S. District Court Judge Kathleen Williams has asked Trumps private attorneys and Justice Department lawyers representing the IRS to address whether his control over the governments actions in the case means its the kind of dispute federal courts cannot consider.
Although President Trump avers that he is bringing this lawsuit in his personal capacity, he is the sitting president and his named adversaries are entities whose decisions are subject to his direction, Williams wrote in a four-page order.
It is unclear to this Court whether the Parties are sufficiently adverse to each other so as to satisfy Article IIIs case or controversy requirement, the judge added, referring to the Constitution.....
Shortly after his lawyers filed the case, the president told reporters that he assumed nobody would care if he received a lucrative payout as part of the frivolous litigation. That payout now appears in doubt. Watch this space.
We spent maybe part of one Constitutional law class on the case or controversy provision of the Constitution. This usually came up in the cases dealing with advisory opinions. Here is the relevant part of the UN Constitution
Article III, Section 2, Clause 1:
The judicial Power shall extend to all Cases, in Law and Equity, arising under this Constitution, the Laws of the United States, and Treaties made, or which shall be made, under their Authority;to all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls;to all Cases of admiralty and maritime Jurisdiction; to Controversies to which the United States shall be a Party;to Controversies between two or more States; between a State and Citizens of another State, between Citizens of different States,between Citizens of the same State claiming Lands under Grants of different States, and between a State, or the Citizens thereof, and foreign States, Citizens or Subjects.
The judicial Power shall extend to all Cases, in Law and Equity, arising under this Constitution, the Laws of the United States, and Treaties made, or which shall be made, under their Authority;to all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls;to all Cases of admiralty and maritime Jurisdiction; to Controversies to which the United States shall be a Party;to Controversies between two or more States; between a State and Citizens of another State, between Citizens of different States,between Citizens of the same State claiming Lands under Grants of different States, and between a State, or the Citizens thereof, and foreign States, Citizens or Subjects.
Since trump is on both sides of this silly lawsuit, there is no Case or Controversy.