"The president insisted on Tuesday that the government owes him a lot of money for previous justice department investigations into his conduct, while at the same time asserting his personal authority over any potential payout. It's interesting, 'cause I'm the one that makes the decision, right? Trump said at the White House, responding to questions about administrative claims he filed seeking roughly $230m related to the FBI's search of Mar-a-Lago and the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election."
"Trump's comment lays out a circular situation: Trump as president would in effect decide whether Trump as claimant receives taxpayer money for investigations into Trump as defendant. I'm suing myself, Trump said last week, in many ways recognizing the absurdity. I'll say, Give me X dollars,' and I don't know what to do with the lawsuit. Trump suggested he might donate any proceeds or use them to fund a ballroom he is building at the White House."
The president asserted that any decision about paying him damages must pass across his desk and claimed the government owes him substantial money for prior justice department investigations. He filed administrative claims under the Federal Tort Claims Act seeking roughly $230 million related to the FBI's Mar-a-Lago search and the probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election. The claims create a circular conflict in which the president would effectively decide whether taxpayer funds go to himself as claimant. The Federal Tort Claims Act bars claims arising from discretionary or policy actions. Normally career civil-division officials handle such claims, but allies now occupy senior Justice Department roles.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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