{"id":13237,"date":"2026-05-27T23:22:15","date_gmt":"2026-05-27T23:22:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/2026\/05\/27\/ex-judges-mount-bid-to-upend-unprecedentedly-fraudulent-trump-anti-weaponization-fund-cnn\/"},"modified":"2026-05-27T23:22:15","modified_gmt":"2026-05-27T23:22:15","slug":"ex-judges-mount-bid-to-upend-unprecedentedly-fraudulent-trump-anti-weaponization-fund-cnn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/2026\/05\/27\/ex-judges-mount-bid-to-upend-unprecedentedly-fraudulent-trump-anti-weaponization-fund-cnn\/","title":{"rendered":"Ex-judges mount bid to upend \u2018unprecedentedly fraudulent\u2019 Trump \u2018anti-weaponization\u2019 fund &#8211; CNN"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-editable=\"content\" itemprop=\"articleBody\" data-reorderable=\"content\">\n<div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/ai-article-summary\/instances\/cmpol0k3g001e3b6r53x1erve@published\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-selector-brand=\"accent-ai\" data-editable=\"aiSummary\">\n<ul data-editable=\"settings\">\n<li>Thirty-five former federal judges from both parties are asking a Miami court to reopen a lawsuit involving President Trump and the IRS.<\/li>\n<li>The retired jurists argue the case was fraudulent and led to an improper settlement creating a controversial $1.776 billion fund.<\/li>\n<li>The settlement also shields Trump and his family from future government investigations into potential civil wrongdoing.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span>AI-generated summary was reviewed by a CNN editor.<\/span>                      <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmpokdgrq000x26q909q5g58i@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">             Nearly three dozen former federal judges appointed by presidents from both parties have joined a growing legal effort to upend the Trump administration\u2019s newly created $1.776 billion fund for people who say they were wrongly targeted by the government in the past.     <\/p>\n<p data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmpokgbjq00023b6r3xwnewdm@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">             The retired jurists are <a href=\"https:\/\/storage.courtlistener.com\/recap\/gov.uscourts.flsd.706172\/gov.uscourts.flsd.706172.63.0.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">asking a judge in Miami<\/a> to reverse <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2026\/05\/18\/politics\/trump-irs-lawsuit-fund-for-allies\">her decision last week<\/a> dismissing an extraordinary lawsuit brought by President Donald Trump, one of his adult sons and the Trump Organization against the Internal Revenue Service that resulted in a settlement through which the controversial fund was created.     <\/p>\n<p data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmpokgbjq00033b6rfry77qm2@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">             The 35 judges say the lawsuit, which had raised questions about whether it was legally sound given the fact that Trump was both a plaintiff and, as president, the head of the Executive Branch, in which the IRS defendants exist, \u201cis itself a fraud on the court.\u201d     <\/p>\n<p data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmpokgbjq00043b6r0f5qrapd@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">             The settlement in the case, the former judges say, \u201cwas not, and never will be, legally justified.\u201d They pointed to the fact that the laws invoked by acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to establish the \u201cAnti-Weaponization Fund\u201d require \u201cthe existence of a legitimate litigation and not, as here, one that is collusive, feigned, or fraudulent.\u201d     <\/p>\n<p data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmpokgbjq00053b6ra9nqjyhs@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">             By reopening the case, the judges told US District Judge Kathleen Williams, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, that she can look into whether she \u201cwas deceived, including with respect to the existence of an underlying case or controversy and any purported arms-length negotiations undertaken to resolve it.\u201d     <\/p>\n<p data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmpokgbjq00063b6riaqyckmq@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">             Williams was set to look closely at whether she had the authority to oversee the lawsuit at all before she was abruptly informed last week that Trump no longer wanted to pursue it. As she agreed to formally close the case, the judge criticized the way in which the litigation had come to an end, zeroing in on the fact that such issues remained unresolved.     <\/p>\n<p data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmpokgbjq00073b6rdjwdnhjw@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">             The Justice Department, she said at the time, had not \u201cfiled any documents ensuring that settlement was appropriate where there was an outstanding question as to whether an actual case or controversy existed.\u201d     <\/p>\n<p data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmpokgbjq00083b6rzzqwx6nx@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">             The coalition of judges accused Trump and the Justice Department, which represents the government in court, of using \u201ca collusive lawsuit\u201d to reach the settlement, which <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2026\/05\/27\/politics\/donald-trump-insulating-himself-future-investigations\">also includes a provision shielding Trump<\/a>, his family and his business from being investigated by the government in the future over potential civil wrongdoing.     <\/p>\n<p data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmpomh58w000e3b6ruqnxgsxl@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">             Natalie Baldassarre, a spokesperson for the Justice Department, said in a statement Wednesday that \u201cit is a routine move for plaintiffs to dismiss cases without referencing any settlement.\u201d     <\/p>\n<p data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmpomh884000g3b6r07q984lk@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">             \u201cThis motion is frivolous and there is nothing improper about this agreement,\u201d she added.     <\/p>\n<p data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmpokgbjq00093b6rmftmo45z@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">             Among the group of judges are former members of the federal bench from across the ideological spectrum who served on both trial-level courts and appeals courts. One of them, former George H. W. Bush appointee Ursula Mancusi Ungaro, served for a time alongside Williams.     <\/p>\n<p data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmpokgbjq000a3b6rejh14vo2@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">             Also included is former Judge John Tinder, who was succeeded on a Chicago-based federal appeals court by now-Justice Amy Coney Barrett, and retired Judge Michael Luttig, a vocal Trump critic who was appointed to a Richmond-based appeals court by Bush.     <\/p>\n<p data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmpokgbjq000b3b6rc6f05qla@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">             \u201cThe unprecedentedly fraudulent scheme here more than warrants voiding the dismissal,\u201d the judges wrote.     <\/p>\n<div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/video-resource\/instances\/cmpokjukq000r3b6r1dwumh8n@published\" data-component-name=\"video-resource\" data-editable=\"settings\" data-fixed-ratio=\"16x9\" data-canonical-url-path data-auth-type data-card-url data-parent-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/video-resource\/instances\/cmpnrym3r0000356pnljmyoij@published\" data-video-id=\"me0ea2b8c9ed683713c925b15e750dd3dacf69579d\" data-media-id=\"me0ea2b8c9ed683713c925b15e750dd3dacf69579d\" data-bolt-id=\"7bde9b6a-fd45-578b-8902-72eba95cf411\" data-live data-analytics-aggregate-events=\"true\" data-custom-experience data-asset-type=\"hlsTs\" data-content-type=\"mediasource-clip\" data-medium-env data-autostart=\"disabled\" data-show-ads=\"true\" data-source=\"CNN\" data-featured-video=\"true\" data-headline=\"Targets of Trump\u2019s retribution slam \"slush fund,\" say they're the real victims of weaponized DOJ\" data-has-video-player=\"true\" data-description=\"\n\n<p>Former federal prosecutors, fired officials and journalists who say they were past targets of President Donald Trump\u2019s retribution tell CNN they may seek compensation from the Justice Department\u2019s $1.8 billion \u201canti-weaponization\u201d fund. CNN&#8217;s Marshall Cohen looks at how they are flipping the script.<\/p>\n<p>&#8221; data-duration=&#8221;03:03&#8243; data-source-html=&#8221;<span class=\"video-resource__source\"> \u2022 Source:                                      <a target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/\" class=\"video-resource__source-url\">CNN<\/a>         <\/span>&#8221; data-fave-thumbnails=&#8221;{&#8220;big&#8221;: { &#8220;uri&#8221;: &#8220;https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/thumb-22659161-2794149-609-thumb.jpg?c=16&#215;9&#8221; }, &#8220;small&#8221;: { &#8220;uri&#8221;: &#8220;https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/thumb-22659161-2794149-609-thumb.jpg?c=16&#215;9&#8243; }  }&#8221; data-vr-video=&#8221;false&#8221; data-show-html=&#8221;<a data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/show\/instances\/show_2A157C52-9155-0916-1477-F9D98202C0B0@published\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/shows\/newsroom\" class=\"show show__showlink-url\">Newsroom<\/a>&#8221; data-byline-html=&#8221;<\/p>\n<div   data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/byline\/instances\/cmpnrym6k0002356puxh1nhij@published\"   data-component-name=\"byline\"   class=\"vossi-byline_elevate byline-elevate\"   data-editable=\"settings\" > <\/div>\n<p>&#8221; data-timestamp-html=&#8221;<\/p>\n<div   class=\"timestamp-elevate vossi-timestamp_elevate\"   data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/timestamp\/instances\/cmpnrym7f0006356ph9ywfqxt@published\"   data-editable=\"settings\" >\n<div class=\"timestamp__container vossi-timestamp_elevate__container\">               <noscript>                 <\/p>\n<div>                   <time datetime=\"2026-05-27T22:39:38.455Z\">Updated May 27, 2026, 6:39 PM ET<\/time>                   <time datetime=\"2026-05-27T21:39:40.246Z\">Published May 27, 2026, 5:39 PM ET<\/time>                 <\/div>\n<p>               <\/noscript>               <span class=\"timestamp__time-since vossi-timestamp_elevate__time-since\" data-first-publish=\"2026-05-27T21:39:40.246Z\" data-last-publish=\"2026-05-27T22:39:38.455Z\"><\/span>           <\/div>\n<div class=\"timestamp__details vossi-timestamp_elevate__details\">\n<div class=\"updated\">Updated <time datetime=\"2026-05-27T22:39:38.455Z\">May 27, 2026, 6:39 PM ET<\/time><\/div>\n<div class=\"timestamp__published vossi-timestamp_elevate__published\">PUBLISHED <time datetime=\"2026-05-27T21:39:40.246Z\">May 27, 2026, 5:39 PM ET<\/time><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>&#8221; 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CNN&#8217;s Marshall Cohen looks at how they are flipping the script.<\/p>\n<p>&#8221; data-check-event-based-preview data-network-id data-publish-date=&#8221;2026-05-27T08:09:51.638Z&#8221; data-video-section=&#8221;politics&#8221; data-canonical-url data-branding-key data-video-slug=&#8221;trump-fund-targets-cohen-lklv-052703aseg2-cnni-politics-fast&#8221; data-first-publish-slug=&#8221;trump-fund-targets-cohen-lklv-052703aseg2-cnni-politics-fast&#8221; data-video-tags data-media-metadata=&#8221;{&#8220;adKeyValuePairs&#8221;:{&#8220;spec&#8221;:&#8221;default&#8221;},&#8221;boltId&#8221;:&#8221;7bde9b6a-fd45-578b-8902-72eba95cf411&#8243;,&#8221;branding&#8221;:&#8221;default&#8221;,&#8221;cepFedSegs&#8221;:&#8221;wbd:15LP,wbd:15P9,wbd:15H7,wbd:15H3,wbd:15HT,wbd:16B6,wbd:2PCG,wbd:2JP5,wbd:2PCF,wbd:2PC9,wbd:3QV,wbd:FBL,wbd:5GB,wbd:7Q8,wbd:F8T,wbd:BPP,wbd:5NC,wbd:B7KZ,wbd:6GL,wbd:KKV,wbd:6GK,wbd:6HF,wbd:13YM,wbd:4CQ,wbd:4CH,wbd:21X,wbd:DD4,wbd:DHX,wbd:7WN,wbd:DF6,wbd:DG2&#8243;,&#8221;cepParams&#8221;:&#8221;15LP=cep_brsf&#038;15P9=cep_brsf&#038;15H7=cep_iabt&#038;15H3=cep_iabt&#038;15HT=cep_iabt&#038;16B6=cep_sent&#038;2PCG=cep_tags&#038;2JP5=cep_tags&#038;2PCF=cep_tags&#038;2PC9=cep_tags&#038;3QV=cep_tags&#038;FBL=cep_tags&#038;5GB=cep_tags&#038;7Q8=cep_tags&#038;F8T=cep_tags&#038;BPP=cep_tags&#038;5NC=cep_tags&#038;B7KZ=cep_tags&#038;6GL=cep_tags&#038;KKV=cep_tags&#038;6GK=cep_tags&#038;6HF=cep_tags&#038;13YM=cep_tags&#038;4CQ=cep_tags&#038;4CH=cep_tags&#038;21X=cep_tags&#038;DD4=cep_tags&#038;DHX=cep_tags&#038;7WN=cep_tags&#038;DF6=cep_tags&#038;DG2=cep_tags&#8221;,&#8221;cepTopics&#8221;:{&#8220;15LP&#8221;:&#8221;cep_brsf&#8221;,&#8221;15P9&#8243;:&#8221;cep_brsf&#8221;,&#8221;15H7&#8243;:&#8221;cep_iabt&#8221;,&#8221;15H3&#8243;:&#8221;cep_iabt&#8221;,&#8221;15HT&#8221;:&#8221;cep_iabt&#8221;,&#8221;16B6&#8243;:&#8221;cep_sent&#8221;,&#8221;2PCG&#8221;:&#8221;cep_tags&#8221;,&#8221;2JP5&#8243;:&#8221;cep_tags&#8221;,&#8221;2PCF&#8221;:&#8221;cep_tags&#8221;,&#8221;2PC9&#8243;:&#8221;cep_tags&#8221;,&#8221;3QV&#8221;:&#8221;cep_tags&#8221;,&#8221;FBL&#8221;:&#8221;cep_tags&#8221;,&#8221;5GB&#8221;:&#8221;cep_tags&#8221;,&#8221;7Q8&#8243;:&#8221;cep_tags&#8221;,&#8221;F8T&#8221;:&#8221;cep_tags&#8221;,&#8221;BPP&#8221;:&#8221;cep_tags&#8221;,&#8221;5NC&#8221;:&#8221;cep_tags&#8221;,&#8221;B7KZ&#8221;:&#8221;cep_tags&#8221;,&#8221;6GL&#8221;:&#8221;cep_tags&#8221;,&#8221;KKV&#8221;:&#8221;cep_tags&#8221;,&#8221;6GK&#8221;:&#8221;cep_tags&#8221;,&#8221;6HF&#8221;:&#8221;cep_tags&#8221;,&#8221;13YM&#8221;:&#8221;cep_tags&#8221;,&#8221;4CQ&#8221;:&#8221;cep_tags&#8221;,&#8221;4CH&#8221;:&#8221;cep_tags&#8221;,&#8221;21X&#8221;:&#8221;cep_tags&#8221;,&#8221;DD4&#8243;:&#8221;cep_tags&#8221;,&#8221;DHX&#8221;:&#8221;cep_tags&#8221;,&#8221;7WN&#8221;:&#8221;cep_tags&#8221;,&#8221;DF6&#8243;:&#8221;cep_tags&#8221;,&#8221;DG2&#8243;:&#8221;cep_tags&#8221;},&#8221;description&#8221;:&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Former federal prosecutors, fired officials and journalists who say they were past targets of President Donald Trump\u2019s retribution tell CNN they may seek compensation from the Justice Department\u2019s $1.8 billion \u201canti-weaponization\u201d fund. CNN&#8217;s Marshall Cohen looks at how they are flipping the script.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;,&#8221;firstPublishSlug&#8221;:&#8221;trump-fund-targets-cohen-lklv-052703aseg2-cnni-politics-fast&#8221;,&#8221;headline&#8221;:&#8221;Targets of Trump\u2019s retribution slam &#8220;slush fund,&#8221; say they&#8217;re the real victims of weaponized DOJ&#8221;,&#8221;id&#8221;:&#8221;me0ea2b8c9ed683713c925b15e750dd3dacf69579d&#8221;,&#8221;isAdSensitive&#8221;:false,&#8221;mediumId&#8221;:&#8221;me0ea2b8c9ed683713c925b15e750dd3dacf69579d&#8221;,&#8221;sectionName&#8221;:&#8221;politics&#8221;,&#8221;source&#8221;:&#8221;CNN&#8221;,&#8221;stellarId&#8221;:&#8221;L19jb21wb25lbnRzL3ZpZGVvLXJlc291cmNlL2luc3RhbmNlcy9jbXBucnltM3IwMDAwMzU2cG5sam15b2lq&#8221;,&#8221;trt&#8221;:&#8221;183.829&#8243;,&#8221;videoTags&#8221;:[],&#8221;videoUrl&#8221;:&#8221;&#8221;}&#8221;>        <picture><source height=\"undefined\" width=\"679\" media=\"(max-width: 479px)\"  type=\"image\/webp\"><source height=\"undefined\" width=\"967\" media=\"(min-width: 480px) and (max-width: 767px)\"  type=\"image\/webp\"><source height=\"undefined\" width=\"860\" media=\"(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)\"  type=\"image\/webp\"><source height=\"undefined\" width=\"860\" media=\"(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)\"  type=\"image\/webp\"><source height=\"undefined\" width=\"860\" media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\"  type=\"image\/webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/thumb-22659161-2794149-609-thumb.jpg?c=16x9\" alt=\"thumb_22659161_2794149.609_thumb.jpg\" onload=\"this.classList.remove('image__dam-img--loading')\" onerror=\"imageLoadError(this)\" height=\"1080\" width=\"1920\"><\/picture>     <\/div>\n<div>\n<p>Targets of Trump\u2019s retribution slam &#8220;slush fund,&#8221; say they&#8217;re the real victims of weaponized DOJ                 <\/p>\n<p><span>                                                                                     3:03                             <\/span>                                 <span> \u2022 Source:                                      <a target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/\">CNN<\/a>         <\/span>                     <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<div data-image-variation=\"image\" data-breakpoints=\"{\"image--eq-extra-small\": 115, \"image--eq-small\": 300, \"image--eq-large\": 660}\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/image\/instances\/cmpnrym740003356p7zmpep3q@published\" data-name=\"thumb_22659161_2794149.609_thumb.jpg\" data-component-name=\"image\" data-observe-resizes data-original-ratio=\"0.5625\" data-original-height=\"1080\" data-original-width=\"1920\" data-url=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/thumb-22659161-2794149-609-thumb.jpg?c=original\" data-unselectable=\"true\">        <picture><source height=\"undefined\" width=\"679\" media=\"(max-width: 479px)\"  type=\"image\/webp\"><source height=\"undefined\" width=\"967\" media=\"(min-width: 480px) and (max-width: 767px)\"  type=\"image\/webp\"><source height=\"undefined\" width=\"860\" media=\"(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)\"  type=\"image\/webp\"><source height=\"undefined\" width=\"860\" media=\"(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)\"  type=\"image\/webp\"><source height=\"undefined\" width=\"860\" media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\"  type=\"image\/webp\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/thumb-22659161-2794149-609-thumb.jpg?c=16x9&#038;q=w_860,c_fill\" alt=\"thumb_22659161_2794149.609_thumb.jpg\" onload=\"this.classList.remove('image__dam-img--loading')\" onerror=\"imageLoadError(this)\" height=\"1080\" width=\"1920\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/picture>     <\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p>Targets of Trump\u2019s retribution slam &#8220;slush fund,&#8221; say they&#8217;re the real victims of weaponized DOJ<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>                                                    3:03          <span>         <\/span>  <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmpokgbjq000c3b6rphbgayjs@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">             The judges\u2019 request on Wednesday adds to a growing pushback in court to the new fund as the administration also faces political pressure from some Republicans over it.     <\/p>\n<p data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmpokgbjq000d3b6rgnchc3yv@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">             Three lawsuits were brought last week in federal courts in Washington, DC, and Virginia seeking to halt the administration from moving forward with implementing its plans for the fund. Those cases argue the fund is unlawful because it may dole out money to people who participated in the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol and finance various paramilitary organizations in the country, and that it violates federal transparency laws, among other things.     <\/p>\n<p data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmpokgbjq000e3b6rqtnmz1ab@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">             In the request made Wednesday to Williams, the judges don\u2019t raise those types of claims but instead present her with a simple proposition: \u201cThe Court was deceived.\u201d     <\/p>\n<p data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmpokgbjq000f3b6r7i8il4et@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">             Reopening the case, the judges say, \u201cwill allow judicial review of the extraordinary \u2013 and historically unprecedented \u2013 circumstances presented by this litigation and by the collusive \u2018settlement\u2019 that invokes this litigation as the legal justification for its terms.\u201d     <\/p>\n<p data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmpokgbjq000g3b6rk7oocvdp@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">             \u201cAs long as the court appropriately exercises its authority to reopen the case, it would preserve the status quo and ensure that the \u2018settlement\u2019 provisions cannot be carried out while the court completes the inquiry that was derailed by the voluntary dismissal,\u201d they told Williams.     <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Thirty-five former federal judges from both parties are asking a Miami court to reopen a lawsuit involving President Trump and the IRS. The retired jurists argue the case was fraudulent and led to an improper settlement creating a controversial $1.776 billion fund. The settlement also shields Trump and his family from future government investigations into [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13238,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13237","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13237","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13237"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13237\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13238"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13237"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13237"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13237"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}