1. United States
2. Ariz.
3. Letter

Congress must use its constitutional oversight authority to stop the DOJ's settlement that permanently bars the IRS from investigating Donald Trump, his family, and his companies over unpaid taxes. Todd Blanche has forgotten he represents the American people, not the president he's auditioning for as permanent Attorney General. This deal is not customary — it is corrupt. The one-page document Blanche signed on May 19 declares the IRS "forever barred and precluded" from examining Trump's tax returns, his family's, and his related companies. Public Citizen has called it illegal under a federal statute that explicitly prohibits presidential requests to terminate audits. The Treasury Department's own general counsel resigned hours after the announcement. Even Senate Republican leader John Thune said he is "not a big fan" of the accompanying $1.776 billion slush fund, whose recipient list will remain confidential and whose commission members are all appointed by Blanche himself. Senator Schumer is right — this is a get-out-of-jail-free card Trump negotiated for himself. Hold hearings. Subpoena the full settlement record. Block any appropriations for this fund until there is full transparency about who benefits from it.