1. United States
2. Neb.
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to publicly oppose President Trump's lawsuits demanding billions from American taxpayers over the leak of his tax returns. Trump has already sued the Department of Justice for $230 million and is now suing the IRS for $10 billion. These unprecedented legal actions threaten to blur the line between public resources and personal enrichment at a scale never before seen. Trump, whose wealth is estimated between $5 and $7 billion, is suing the IRS for twice his net worth despite already receiving substantial legal remedies. The contractor who leaked his information has been imprisoned, the Treasury Department cancelled contracts with the leaker's employer, and the IRS issued a rare public apology. These are significant consequences that addressed the illegal disclosure. What makes these lawsuits particularly troubling is that many billionaires had their tax returns leaked in the same incident, yet only Trump and his family are seeking monetary damages. There is no precedent for a sitting president to sue the government agencies that report to him, and the potential for conflicts of interest is staggering. Given Trump's influence over previously independent agencies, there is real danger that the DOJ and IRS might settle and pay enormous sums of taxpayer dollars even if an unbiased judge would reject his demands as preposterous. The leaked information revealed that Trump, the wealthiest president in history who broke precedent by refusing to disclose his financial details, had long avoided paying taxes while presiding over the government. Now he seeks to extract billions from the very taxpayers whose contributions he avoided. I ask that you speak out against these lawsuits and work to ensure that no settlement occurs without rigorous judicial review. Congress must provide oversight to prevent government agencies from capitulating to presidential pressure and transferring public funds to Trump's personal accounts. The American people deserve protection from this brazen attempt to enrich himself at our expense.