A federal judge ordered US President Donald Trump to respond to “serious allegations” that his plan with the government to create a $1.8 billion fund to settle his lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service was the result of “fraud” in the courts.
In Friday’s order, US District Judge Kathleen Williams gave the president’s personal lawyers until June 12 to respond to a request by a group of former federal judges that she reopen a case investigating the president’s dealings with the Justice Department.
Williams had closed the case after Trump’s lawyers informed him that they were dropping his claim to hold the IRS accountable for leaking his tax information.
At the same time, the Department of Justice announced that instead of Trump ending the case, it would create a fund of 1.776 billion US dollars to benefit what officials said were victims of “weapons” by the government.
Opponents have slammed the deal as a “slush fund” for Trump allies and supporters. The agreement also includes a ban on investigations into Trump’s past tax returns.
Earlier on Friday, a federal judge in Virginia temporarily blocked the Trump administration from running an “anti-gun fund” while it was under long-term consideration.
