A federal judge has ruled that President Trump's lawsuit against the IRS had no "basis in law or fact." The decision casts direct doubt on whether Trump and his family can benefit from an immunity deal connected to the case.
The court's finding
The judge's language is unsparing. The suit was found to lack any basis in law and any basis in fact. A ruling on those terms leaves no procedural core for the case to rest on.
The immunity deal's uncertain status
The ruling's consequence reaches the immunity deal. The court's verdict now casts doubt on whether the president and his family can draw on whatever benefits that deal provides. With the IRS lawsuit found to carry no legal or factual foundation, the standing of those deal benefits is what the ruling puts in question.