IRS/JUSTICE DEPARTMENT/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Trump administration on Thursday [10-26-17] said it has agreed to pay between $1 million and $10 million to settle lawsuits against the Internal Revenue Service for targeting tea-party groups in the Obama era, saying in court documents that the IRS ‘admits that its treatment…was wrong.’
The Justice Department entered into proposed settlements with groups that alleged in 2013 they had been subject to discriminatory treatment in applying for tax-exempt status. The move largely puts an end to a saga that had engulfed the IRS for years.
In a settlement filed in federal court in Washington, which still must be approved by a judge, the Justice Department said the IRS ‘expresses its sincere apology’ and was ‘fully committed’ to not subjecting groups for additional review ‘solely on the name or policy positions of such entity.’
In a separate class-action case brought on behalf of 428 groups in federal court in Ohio, the government agreed to pay a ‘seven figure’ amount, to be distributed to the groups, according to a lawyer for the groups, Edward Greim. Mr. Greim declined to provided a specific number, saying the judge still needs to approve the deal.
The cases spent several years in litigation. The Washington case had initially been dismissed before parts were revived last year by a federal appeals court.”
-Aruna Viswanatha and John D. McKinnon, “Administration Agrees to Settle Tea-Party Suits Against IRS,” The Wall Street Journal online, Oct. 26, 2017 04:50pm