Court Imposes Sanctions on Executive Branch Lawyers in Trump Tax Case Settlement

GLOW – Government Lawyers Oversight Watchdog has issued a statement following sanctions ordered by U.S. District Judge Kathleen M. Williams in the case Trump v. Internal Revenue Service. The court imposed sanctions on several executive branch attorneys involved in a controversial "settlement" resolving President Trump's lawsuit against the IRS concerning the unlawful disclosure of tax information.

The court found that the attorneys acted "in bad faith for the improper purpose of dishonestly advancing a political narrative" and sought to gain "the imprimatur of judicial legitimacy for a settlement that had no viable basis in law or fact." Judge Williams noted that there was never true adversity between the parties, stating, "the Lead Plaintiff and the Government are one."

Omri Marian, President of GLOW, stated the order confirms the organization's mission: to expose government lawyers who abandon their duty to the public to serve the personal interests of the powerful. Marian emphasized that the Department of Justice represents the American people, not the president's personal fortune.

Among those sanctioned are Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward. Blanche signed the settlement agreement committing $1.776 billion in taxpayer funds and issued an order that purported to grant blanket immunity to the Trump family and prohibit future IRS audits, which the court found "directly contravenes" applicable law.

The sanctions also involve notifications to the attorneys' respective bar associations, subjecting their conduct to review. GLOW is the first non-profit organization dedicated to documenting the conduct of executive branch attorneys.