1. United States
2. Texas
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to take action against an unprecedented conflict of interest that threatens to cost taxpayers billions of dollars. President Trump has filed claims seeking $240 million in damages from the federal government he currently leads, with his own political appointees positioned to decide whether to settle with their boss using taxpayer money. The claims include a $230 million administrative claim related to the FBI's court-approved 2022 search of Mar-a-Lago and a $10 billion lawsuit over the 2019 leak of his tax returns. The people deciding how to respond to these claims previously worked as Trump's personal attorneys. Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche both represented Trump personally, while the third-in-command at Justice, Stanley Woodward, represented Trump's valet in the Mar-a-Lago case. The amounts Trump seeks are extraordinary. Former DOJ lawyer Rupa Bhattacharyya noted that even in the most serious cases, payouts almost never exceed $10 million, making Trump's $230 million claim an order of magnitude greater than any previous settlement. Conservative lawyer Edward Whelan, who clerked for Justice Antonin Scalia, called it outrageous that Trump and those answering to him would be deciding how the government responds to these claims. The principle is straightforward. If a sitting president cannot be prosecuted while in office, then he cannot sue his employer for damages while in office. The IRS leak occurred during Trump's first term, meaning he is suing the government for actions that took place when he was in charge. Any settlement would come from the judgment fund, paid by American taxpayers. I urge you to introduce or support legislation that prohibits sitting presidents from pursuing financial claims against the federal government during their term in office. At a time when Americans cite cost of living as their top concern, we cannot allow billions in taxpayer dollars to be transferred to a president through self-dealing settlements.