1. United States
2. Md.
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to take action against the unprecedented conflict of interest created by President Trump's lawsuits seeking billions of dollars from the federal government he currently leads. This situation violates basic principles of fairness and creates an untenable ethical crisis. Trump has filed a $230 million administrative claim related to the FBI's court-approved 2022 search of Mar-a-Lago and the Russia investigation, plus a $10 billion lawsuit over the 2019 leak of his tax returns. His own political appointees, including Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, both former personal attorneys to Trump, now must decide whether to settle with their boss using taxpayer money. The third-in-command at Justice, Stanley Woodward, represented Trump's valet in the Mar-a-Lago case. This is not impartial justice. 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 decide how the government responds to these claims. The legal principle is clear: if Trump enjoys presidential immunity for his official actions, then the government must have immunity against him for actions taken during his administration. The IRS leak occurred during Trump's first term, meaning he is suing the government for actions that happened when he was in charge. You cannot have it both ways. Any settlement comes from the judgment fund, paid by American taxpayers. At a time when cost of living is Americans' top concern, using public money to settle the president's personal grievances against his own government is indefensible. I urge you to publicly oppose these lawsuits and support legislation preventing sitting presidents from suing the federal government they control.