Trump IRS Immunity Deal Sparks Outrage Over $1.8B Taxpayer Fund 5/20/26

About this episode

The episode discusses the controversial IRS immunity deal involving Trump and its implications for public accountability and corruption.

The Justice Department quietly adds a stunning amendment to a wildly corrupt agreement that created a $1.776 billion compensation fund tied to former President Trump. Tucked into the slush fund for Trump’s allies, a ban on the IRS ever auditing Trump, his family, his companies or related entities for returns filed before the deal. Does Trump have something to hide? Is this the reason he never officially released his tax returns …because something sinister is lurking inside of them ? We will examine the reasons Acting AG Todd Blanche may have included that ban in the deal, accusations that Blanche is acting as Trump’s consigliere and why Blanche set himself up as the person to choose the five-person board to approve payouts. Those members would be removable at the president’s will. Journalist John Harwood calls the settlement a Trump smash & grab. Does this deal mean public accountability is dead? Mark welcomes John Rothmann, presidential historian and host of the Around the Political World with John Rothmann podcast to discuss this and more. Skye Perryman, with Democracy Forward, will stop by to talk about using the law to fight the corruption in the Trump administration…

People in this episode

Host: Mark Thompson

Guests: John Rothmann, Skye Perryman

Topics covered

• Trump IRS deal
• taxpayer fund
• government corruption
• public accountability
• political commentary
• legal battles

Keywords

• Trump
• IRS
• tax returns
• corruption
• Justice Department
• Todd Blanche
• John Rothmann
• Skye Perryman
• politics
• accountability

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Democracy Forward, Trump, Justice Department, Trump administration

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