Trump Sues the IRS Over Leaked Tax Returns, Seeks $1 Billion in Damages
On January 30, U.S. President Trump filed a lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), seeking $1 billion in damages over what he claims was the leak of his tax returns, stating that this has harmed his business.
According to AFP, the lawsuit was filed by Trump in his personal capacity along with his two sons, Eric and Donald Jr., and his family business, "The Trump Organization." The complaint states that the IRS and the Treasury Department "had a responsibility to maintain and protect the confidential tax returns of the plaintiffs."
Trump's tax information had sparked much speculation during his first term in office, as he broke the norm by refusing to release his tax documents while running as a candidate.
According to the complaint, these tax documents were leaked to the media by former IRS employee Charles "Chaz" Littlejohn between May 2019 and September 2020.
The complaint states: "The defendants caused damage to the plaintiffs' reputation and finances, public humiliation, unfair damage to their business reputation, misleading the public perception with false images, and negative impact on the public image of President Trump and other plaintiffs." This lawsuit was filed in a federal court in Miami.
Littlejohn admitted to leaking Trump's tax information in 2023 and is currently serving a five-year prison sentence.
The New York Times reported in September 2020 that Trump, who had repeatedly refused to disclose his tax returns, paid only $750 in federal income taxes in 2016 and 2017, and went 10 years without paying taxes in the past 15 years.
This is not the first time Trump has taken legal action against the federal government he leads. According to the New York Times, Trump had previously sought $230 million in damages from the U.S. Department of Justice for what he claimed were improper handling of classified documents and attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 election.
Source: rfi
Original: toutiao.com/article/1855787210225675/
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