Top Senate Democrats push Trump-affiliated companies for answers about IRS settlement
Source: CBS News
July 7, 2026 / 6:00 AM EDT
Top Senate Democrats are pushing for answers on whether a provision in a controversial settlement agreement between President Trump and his own administration applies to companies co-founded by or affiliated with the Trump family.
As part of a deal struck in May by the Justice Department to resolve a lawsuit brought by Mr. Trump, the Internal Revenue Service is permanently barred from pursuing claims against Mr. Trump, his oldest sons Don Jr. and Eric, and the Trump Organization based on prior tax returns.
In a one-page document signed by Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and dated May 19, the Justice Department said the defendants in the president's lawsuit the IRS and the Treasury Department are "FOREVER BARRED and PRECLUDED" from "prosecuting or pursuing, any and all claims" arising from tax returns filed before the settlement took effect. Blanche also wrote that the settlement applies to "parties including trusts, parent, sister, or related companies, affiliates, and subsidiaries."
Now, Senators Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, and Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee Ron Wyden of Oregon are pushing 11 businesses and organizations with ties to the Trump family to get answers for the "significant questions" the settlement raises relating to the tax audit provision, and whether the companies are included in the deal.
Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/senate-democrats-push-trump-affiliated-companies-irs-settlement/
Link to Sen. Warren PRESS RELEASE - Warren, Schumer, Wyden Investigate Whether Key Trump-Affiliated Companies Scored Get-Out-Of-Jail-Free-Cards From Corrupt IRS Settlement
Link to LETTERS (inquiries) (PDF) - https://www.warren.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Combined-IRS-Settlement-Letters.pdf
AZJonnie
(4,270 posts)It's not their decision as to whether or not this CORRUPT (not "controversial", CBS!) settlement applies to them. Of course they'll assert "Yup, it sure does!", why wouldn't they?
Blanche and the IRS director are the ones that should be thoroughly freaking grilled at a Senate hearing. But that'll likely have to wait until at least Jan 2027, and possibly until Jan 2029
BumRushDaShow
(174,099 posts)Did you open the linked PDF????
Under the guise of a so-called legal settlement, the Trump administration has attempted to decree
that the President, his family, and their entire business empire potentially including entities
with even the vaguest affiliation to the family are to face zero consequences if they have
committed a range of financial crimes or misdeeds regardless of the severity of the violation.
And the language of this agreement states that any federal government entity would be
FOREVER BARRED and PRECLUDED from any such enforcement activity related to past
wrongdoing.
Given that Donald Trump Jr. is a partner at 1789 Capital, your company could be sufficiently
related or affiliated to the plaintiffs to receive broad immunity from audits, civil penalties,
and federal prosecution for any financial crimes prosecutable by Treasury or IRS under the
settlement agreement. The public deserves transparency about the scope of this get-of-jail-free
card for Trump-aligned businesses, and about whether you intend to rely on this settlement as a
free pass for any possible violations of the law.
To address our concerns, please answer the following questions by July 20, 2026:
1) Does your company believe it is included among the related or affiliated parties
mentioned in the agreement?
a. If so, what is the specific relation or affiliation that you believe provides
coverage?
b. If so, does your company believe that the agreement gives it immunity from all
audits, civil penalties, or federal prosecution for any potential crimes and
misconduct under the IRSs or Treasurys purview that could have occurred
before May 19, 2026?
2) Is your company currently under any federal investigation or audit related to any matters
occurring before May 19, 2026?
a. If so, please describe each investigation or audit.
b. If so, please provide all communications you have had with DOJ, the White
House, or other federal agencies regarding the investigation or audit since May
19, 2026.
3) Has the federal government ended any civil or criminal investigations into your company
since May 19, 2026, or signaled that it will do so? If so, please list all such investigations,
the day they were dropped, and any rationale communicated by the government when
they were dropped.
4) Has the federal government ended any audits of your company since May 19, 2026, or
signaled that it will do so? If so, please list all such audits, the day they were dropped,
and any rationale communicated by the government when they were dropped.
5) Please provide any communications that you, other executives at your company, or
lobbyists acting on behalf of your company have had with DOJ, the White House, or any
other federal agency regarding the settlement agreement, before or after it was signed.
Thank you for your attention to this important matter.
(snip/
AZJonnie
(4,270 posts)Quanto Magnus
(1,435 posts)to be affiliated to Trump....
I mean he's our president purportedly.... If we claim association with him, we should all be free to cheat on our taxes like he does.... right?????