The Department of Justice’s Civil Division stated it has no records of communication regarding the lawsuit Trump v. IRS, as revealed in a response to a Freedom of Information Act request by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW). In January, former President Donald Trump, along with his sons Eric and Donald Trump Jr., and the Trump Organization, filed a lawsuit against the IRS and Treasury Department, seeking $10 billion in damages due to the unauthorized disclosure of their tax returns by former IRS contractor Charles Littlejohn. Trump initiated the lawsuit in his personal capacity while overseeing the agencies involved. This case marks the first instance of a sitting president suing and settling with their own administration. The DOJ Civil Division claims that no attorneys typically responsible for such cases were involved in the defense or negotiation of the settlement, which was executed on May 18. The settlement has raised concerns about its legality and the process involved, with CREW currently challenging the lawsuit in court. The court has ordered the parties to provide briefs on its jurisdiction and whether the dismissal of the case was based on deception.
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DOJ Civil Division Reports No Records on Trump IRS Lawsuit
The DOJ Civil Division has reported no records related to the Trump v. IRS lawsuit, which involves a $10 billion claim by former President Trump and his family against the IRS. The case raises questions about the legality of the settlement process, as no attorneys from the DOJ were involved, and CREW is challenging the lawsuit in court.
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Bias Analysis
Bias score
85/100
wirepublicmainstream
flavoredpartisanadvocacy
Inflammatory language
13/100
Sentiment
-20/100
Bias Indicators Removed
- ✕ loaded language: 'blatant self-dealing'
- ✕ loaded language: 'collusive settlement'
- ✕ loaded language: 'unprecedented and unlawful slush fund'
- ✕ loaded language: 'enormously corrupt result'
- ✕ framing: headline asserting a conclusion
- ✕ framing: selective emphasis on the lack of records and alleged corruption
- ✕ editorializing: Adding to the blatant self-dealing
- ✕ editorializing: a settlement of this magnitude leaving no trace
- ✕ omitted response: a named/criticized party is given no chance to respond
Original vs. Neutral
Original Headline
DOJ division that should have handled Trump IRS lawsuit has no record of it
Neutral Headline
DOJ Civil Division Reports No Records on Trump IRS Lawsuit