“Corruption” seems inadequate to discuss this, this is just looting: Lawyers for President Donald Trump are engaged in talks with the IRS to resolve a $10 billion lawsuit the president filed against his own tax collection agency over the leak of his tax information to news outlets between 2018 and 2020. In a federal court filing Friday, Trump asks a judge to pause the case for 90 days while the two sides work to reach a settlement or resolution. “This limited pause will neither prejudice the parties nor delay ultimate resolution,” the filing says.

“Rather, the extension will promote judicial economy and allow the Parties to explore avenues that could narrow or resolve the issues efficiently.” Tax and ethics experts say the lawsuit raises a plethora of legal and ethical questions, including the propriety of the leader of the executive branch pursuing scorched-earth litigation against the very government he oversees. The Roberts Court invented a theory of near-total presidential immunity not in spite of the fact that it would benefit Trump but specifically because of it. True story!