Remember all the times Trump said he couldn’t release his tax returns while he was being audited by the IRS? Well, as you’ve probably heard, Trump has settled a $10 billion law suit that he brought against the IRS over the unauthorized release of some of his tax records. The settlement includes a nearly $1.8 billion slush fund for Trump’s lawless supporters or more likely for Trump himself, since the settlement includes a provision basically licensing the fraudulent disbursement of the funds. That provision states, “Once the funds are deposited into the Designated Account, the United States has no liability whatsoever for the protection or safeguarding of those funds, regardless of bank failure, fraudulent transfers, or any other fraud or misuse of the funds” (emphasis added).
As you’ve also no doubt heard, Todd Blanche, Trump’s former attorney, current acting Attorney General, and forever lackey, inserted an addendum after the settlement was announced that insulates Trump, his businesses, and his family against “claims,” “damages,” “examinations,” etc., “presently known or unknown,” “that — as of the Effective Date of the Settlement Agreement — have been or could have been asserted by the” the Government (or at least, the IRS and Department of the Treasury) against Trump, his family, Trump businesses, and a broad swathe of Trump-related entities. The precise scope of the exemption is somewhat unclear, but it appears to be exceptionally broad and, at a minimum, effectively bars all current IRS audits or possible future audits for past tax issues.
This means that Trump and his businesses are no longer subject to IRS audits. That, in turn, means that the excuse that Trump has repeatedly given for why he can’t release his tax returns is no longer applicable.
So let’s have it, Mr. Trump. If we taxpayers have to fund your $1.8 billion slush fund for you and your criminal followers; if you get to escape paying the US Treasury as much as $100 million dollars in tax penalties that you probably would owe if you had to submit to IRS audits; if your Presidential immunity will let you get away with insider trading and corrupt government and business deals at a never-before-seen scale (thereby harming millions of honest investors and taxpayers), we should at least get to see those tax returns.
Oh, and while you’re at it, what about those Epstein files?