This is not a constitutional crisis, it’s just another step in refining the relative powers of the different branches. Just the kind of thing we want SCOTUS weighing in on.
When they do, there may be two reasons they might find in Trump’s favor:
It is just the House suing, not both chambers. In a recent gerrymandering case, didn’t SCOTUS rule that the House had no standing because it didn't have the right to represent the whole legislature?
Democrats have been demanding Trump’s tax returns since he announced his candidacy, before there was any probable cause for an investigation. And they were pretty open that those returns would be useful in embarrassing Trump even if no wrongdoing were found. SCOTUS could easily conclude they are investigating in bad faith.
23
@WorkingMan
Get another job, other than as apologist for Trump's narcissistic privilege
Republicans think about the constitution only for the pretext of advancing their self serving agenda.They changed the argument over checks and balances after Obama left the White House and the Democrats took the House
On the other hand, the King should not have to pay taxes like everyone else or have commoners like the Congress and the people see them, even though the Emperor is naked
92
@WorkingMan
This is not about gerrymandering at the State level. Each chamber of Congress has oversight authority of the Executive, so each has standing. Only the Democrats want to exercise it, for obvious reasons.
70
@WorkingMan
You assume that President Trump is innocent of financial crimes, including crimes such as Russian money laundering, conspiracy and obstruction of Justice. You assume that Trump is not compromising national security to protect his own interests. You assume too much. If Congress cannot investigate this and the special counsel cannot indict the President, you are arguing that the President is a king.
96
This should stop. If DT did something illegal with regards to his tax obligations, there is an institution in this country which should chase and sue him. That institution is not the Congress. His tax returns are his own business and just like I or you would not like such details to be publicized, so he has every right to keep it private.
Now, it is plainly obvious that he is a fishy person and that he used whatever loophole he could to avoid taxes but he is very likely well inside what the law allows.
The voters had a chance in 2016 to punish him for this lack of transparency and moral deficiency but they did not and what Congress is now doing is pure spite and ugly political theater, pure and simple. Yet again.
35
@ss You could not be more wrong. His tax returns are NOT his own business! Why? Because he is the President of the United States and therein lies the potential for conflict of interest. We must know who he has done business with in the past to ensure a foreign country (like Russia) does not have leverage over him, which would be detrimental to our democracy and our was of life.
By the way - as soon as a person becomes a public servant, their expectation of privacy ends. If you want to remain a private person, don't enter PUBLIC office.
262
@ss....I guess you really think this is about a "tax error"?
47
@ss Highly doubtful he did it "inside what the law allows." But I guess we will see, and SOON!
51
What took the Democrats so long to file this lawsuit? Is this the typical complacency and weak leadership on the part of Democrats?
14
@Tom Read the article
6
I’m starting to come around to AOC’s thinking more and more each day. Better to be far left and then settle somewhere left of center than to be left of center and end up settling right of center, which is exactly what happened with the emergency border funding bill.
7
My only question is why it took so long to do this.
4
The actual taxpayers of the US are living under the tyranny of people who have put themselves above taxation by corrupting the already flawed US political system. Trump's life has cost the US public $billions.
9
I think we can safely disregard "longstanding presidential tradition" as a factor that may sway Donald Trump to "do the (historically) correct thing.
"Golly", he'd never think to himself, if think he ever does, "I hope that I'm not on the wrong side of history in this".
13
Why is it acceptable that a matter of such urgency should take months or years with no penalties for lawbreakers? Our government cannot function like this.
6
If Trump knew he could get a bank loan by releasing his tax returns to the bank, would he say never mind, he’s being audited and he can’t release them?
7
Essentially, the Administration is using the old complaint that surfaces in an occasional civil suite when the defendant tries to dismiss on the grounds that the Plaintiff is only suing because he/she or its executives hare hostile to the defendant.
That "defense" flies as well as a lead balloon with the courts ruling that the motivation for the suite is irrelevant with the only questions being 1) is the cause of action valid and 2) supported by evidence.
Here, the statute provides that on request by the chairman the tax returns "shall be" produced. Not much to decide.
5
Once again Trump is correct. There is no legislative reason. Besides Democrats will be as disappointed with his tax returns as they were with the Mueller report.
Democrats we’re not disappointed with the Muller report; the Democrats were disappointed that Muller could not indict a sitting president. Contrary to your belief and propaganda that The White House and Fox News disseminated the Muller report did not clear the president. In fact The report makes it clear that: 1) the Russian government tried to help Trump win; 2) the Trump campaign was eager to benefit from hackings targeting Democrats; and 3) Trump’s campaign advisers had a lot of troubling ties to Russia.
15
Trump is determined to thwart any legitimate examination of his shady financial dealings. Just as he did before becoming POTUS, Trump will force anyone with claims against him (e.g., all the contractors he's stiffed) to endure time consuming, expensive legal proceedings, hoping that he can turn the battle into a war of attrition, causing his opponents to give up.
We will soon see whether any of the Supreme Court's conservative majority has any scintilla of integrity. After they so blatantly condoned GOP gerrymandering (what about "One man, one vote?"), there is a real danger that they will simply do what is most advantageous to the GOP. The 2000 Bush v. Gore case which handed the presidency to the popular vote loser showed how Alito, Thomas, et. al. are simply a gang of GOP political operatives who view the Supreme Court as a weapon to use against the American people whenever the GOP's hold on power is in jeopardy. Gorsuch & Kavanaugh are handpicked for their fealty to the conservative cause. It is outrageous that they may now enable Trump to thumb his nose to the rule of law.
10
For all the commentators who question the legitimacy of Chairman Neal’s request for Trump’s tax returns, please read Section 6103(f)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) : ... In short: The Treasury Secretary, which, for practical purposes, means the IRS as the relevant agency within the Treasury Department, “shall furnish” each of the tax committees with “any return or return information” requested in writing by its chairman.
11
The absolute height of desperation and irrelevancy. Does the American left honestly have any reason to follow and support this charade? Not a single line of attack on our President has led to a result that remotely justifies the waste of Congressional duty expended. How badly does the left want to lose next year? Your boat is sinking and you keep adding ballast.
2
The president has his bases covered. A certain class of person generally avoids legal scrutiny due to a combination of big money and interrelated power comensurate with that socioeconomic strata. In addition to being in that class, that is, not one of the "little" people, it is safe to contend he is also classless.
2
This commenter says he lives in San Francisco, California, USA, but that he should be given the medical records of the Chancellor of Germany:
"I also would not mind a peek at Merkel’s infirmities too!"
I give up: Why is that?
3
One way or another they'll never get it.
So I hear (from this NYT-Pick commenter, for example)-- I just can't find this power in the Constitution:
"The United States Constitution clearly gives congress the power of oversight,"
The Constitution does not actually grant this power to Congress. Maybe it should, but it doesn't. It gives Congress broad power to legislate and to impeach -- either of which powers, I believe (and so do a few federal judges) would clearly underpin the House's recent demands for information.
But this "general oversight" power I keep reading about? It's nowhere to be found in the actual Constitution. Those who insist it exists just made it up.
The Dems are getting lapped repeatedly. They're showing up to a knife fight carrying a book. Why are they so weak? Better smarten up, before they dither away the entire country's future!
I want Trumps taxes and Biden’s medical reports!
I also would not mind a peek at Merkel’s infirmities too!
1
Is it a "longstanding presidential tradition?"
No -- quite the contrary. The vast majority of Presidential candidates have NOT turned over their tax returns -- to the public or to anybody else. JFK, for example, never did. Nor did LBJ. This "longstanding presidential tradition" started after they ran for office.
How about now? Have the Democratic candidates for 2020 honored this "longstanding presidential tradition?" Some have; some haven't; some have released a few returns, but have withheld others. Kamala Harris, for example, hasn't released any. She says she will, real "soon" now, but she hasn't. Is she hiding something, or asking for privacy?
Other Democratic candidates have released some (never all) tax returns, only to suffer some embarrassment as a result. Bernie Sanders, for example, was "outed" as a millionaire after he released some recent tax returns -- the very same economic class he has skewered on the campaign trail. (Sanders pointed out that most of his high income came from a best-selling book he wrote -- which you too can write, he assures us!)
So much for this "longstanding presidential tradition."
And whether it is or isn’t a tradition, no public servant or candidate is legally obligated to do this. Federal tax returns are a private matter between taxpayers and the IRS. I wouldn’t disclose mine either if I ever ran for office. If someone wants to dig up this kind of dirt on a public official, let them find some other way to do it.
@Robert M: Not true. Federal tax returns are not always a private matter between tax payers and the IRS. How do you think Al Capone ended up in prison? How do you think law enforcement knew he committed tax fraud if they hadn’t seen his tax returns? The house committee that requested Trump’s tax returns is legally authorized to demand them.
6
@Anna: Not true, at least not the part about Al Capone. The government knew that Capone had evaded taxes because he'd admitted it in prior negotiations to get him to pay. The judge in the case used those admissions as evidence. As for Trump, I'm sure the court will rule in short order if the House committee is indeed legally authorized to demand his returns.
Won't it be great fun to see what a first-rate grifter's tax returns look like?
Don't back down on this one. There has to be some kind of accountability.
9
What in heaven’s name took them so long?
1
Too late, MM already stacked the SCOTUS in Trump's favor. We may never see these returns. Also, wasn't there the NY state returns? I agree with others who say follow the money in the properties, selling way overvalued properties to rich Russians wreaks of money laundering...Deutsche Bank angle? C'mon, we know this guy has skeletons, with 100's of millions changing hands covering his yuge losses...chances that there isn't some malfeasance there are pretty small.
4
" the Treasury secretary “shall” furnish the requested material."
can't wait to see how the SC tackle this hot potato.
3
I have not heard anyone discussing Publicly DISCLOSING the tax returns...which is fine with me, as long as Congress can provide oversight...
This again? And the timing is rather interesting. Could it be that the Democrats are breathing new life into this issue just to give their presidential candidates something else to talk about?
1
Great! It's July 2, Trump has been thumbing his nose at Congress for 6 months and Congress has filed its first action against him in a slam-dunk case two months later than they should have.
Congress is being turned into a Constitutional non-entity and even the Democratically controlled House hasn't got the courage to fight back.
Trump is right. Congress deserves no respect. It is sitting by and watching Trump turn use into an elective monarchy.
We had Stonewall Jackson as President; Now we have Stonewall Trump covering up his tax returns. Let’s find out why. Trump Is going to give lying, bragging, and conflicts of interest much more importance in our election process from now on. Can Trump supporters figure out why?
5
Why did this take so long? This should have happened months ago.
8
"Democrats have clamored for President Trump’s tax returns since he burst onto the political stage."?
Sorry, Times but US citizens of ALL parties and political persuasions, except for alt-right, have wanted to know what Trump is so DESPERATELY hiding?
And why he willfully defied a precedent that goes back some 50 years now!
Please stop spinning this as a Republican v Democrat issue! It's an issue for our democracy!
WHAT IS TRUMP HIDING? And when did he start hiding it?
14
It’s 3:00 am at the White House. President Trump wakes up in a panicky state. Dials his physician who is on call 24/7:
‘I’m in a cold sweat and my heart is racing! I just dreamt the House is forcing me to hand over my tax returns!’
‘Please calm down Mr President. You’re in bed? Just turn over. These attacks return now and then. Will go away and subside.’
‘What? I’m not inbred! Just turn over these tax returns now? I don’t think so. And then, we’ll go away by taking the nuclear sub? Great idea Doc! Meet you outside!’
1
What took Neal so long?
He should have filed this case in February.
1
Mnuchin should be held in custody until his department has produced the subpoenaed documents.
12
Donald Trump said in the course of his campaign, in the context of divestment discussions, "The president can't have a conflict of interest." Without these returns Congress can't possibly examine the nature and depth of Trump's ties with the Russian government that meddled in the election on Trump's behalf, and whether that claim that he can't have a conflict of interest was itself a fraudulent assertion, which would be belied by financial entanglements that could create tension between his financial objectives and foreign policy focused on our collective national security and prosperity.
7
BTW, he immediately followed up that remark by saying, "The law is totally on my side."
Merely that language itself ("my side") shows that rather than seeking what's best for the country, he was concerned with how the law either apparently or arguably allows him to use the office for his personal financial interests while officiating as president; he actively sought an interpretation of the law that would allow him to pursue his private business & official duties in tandem, relying on on his own judgments how to balance/combine these commitments. That episode, as a window into his orientation (perhaps summarized by "L'etat c'est moi," or more appropriate to Trump's level, 'It's good to be the king!").
Clearly Trump planned from the get-go to try to run the White House/Exec Branch as if t were the family business, evidenced by the roles he gave the Kushners.
This could not be more urgent. The closer one looks at the behavior in question, the more obvious it becomes that Trump always intended to use the presidency as a personal prize to exploit as selfishly as he pleases, as if winning the presidency were a kind of business achievement like a lucrative real estate deal.
In a way, since Trump only knew business before running for president, it's more the fault of those who let him become president than his own. Nevertheless, he must be held accountable if the system, checks & balances, the rule of law, & the credibility of our government are not to deteriorate further.
5
I don’t care about his tax returns as we all know that Donald trump is a congenital liar and is not even a billionaire. My main concern is his legal expenses. Are the tax payers of America paying to defend this eleven times bankrupt liar?
6
The House can hold Mnuchin in contempt. It should and then send the Sergeant at arms to arrest him until he complies with the subpoena. That’s how you fix our constitutional checks and balances.
17
The real reason Mr. Trump doesn't want his financial records released is that they will show that he has a negative net worth.
20
True. But it may also point to money laundering and other illegal actions that could put him in compromising positions with other countries.
25
You don’t suppose the IRS would investigate and prosecute irregularities?
1
I don't know what game Mr. Neal, Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee is playing. First, what took so long. The legal case for demanding trump's tax returns has been obvious, and has not change, since the Dems took control of the House.
Secondly, New York has offered the Committee trump's NY State tax returns
7
@mancuroc
(continued)
and Neal has not taken up the offer. Why not? It would provide immediate information that will take weeks or months to get while the law suit for the Federal taxes goes through the courts.
1
Trump's record of freeloading has been known to many NYC residents for decades. Now maybe those that still don't know what Trump and his family really are will finally be enlightened if we get to see his tax returns.
20
There are certainly more pressing issues on the world stage to be addressed. But as it is with the Trump White House, many questions beg for answers. We all would like to know, as a fact why this president, being a cheat and pathological lier, does not want to tell us that he isn't nowhere near as rich as he claims be. And knowing that he failed with most of his business adventures does not help at all. The selfproclaimend dealer is unfit, to say the least. And what taxes he paid, or not, would be revealing. But again all you can say is, once a fraud, always a fraud.
15
I want impeachment, not tax returns. Impeachment consolidates power and cuts through the cowardly pose my own party is showing.
Trump is a disgrace, but the Republicans will use an absolute horror of a man and family for their own purposes; to stack the court systems for political purposes.
This was not what the founding fathers and my ancestors envisioned. My family were Republicans but would roll over at that party of today. Impeach and then vote.
18
If the courts rule against Trump, he will refuse to comply. Then we will know with certainty that we are living under a dictatorship.
11
“legitimate” legislative purposes—defined by [Trump’s] executive branch to…exclude uncovering potential wrongdoing.”
The White House lawyers working for the president say that Congress does not have the authority to oversee the executive branch and the president, including when evidence exists in the Mueller Report of wrongdoing by Trump.
Federal law is clear: the IRS "shall" deliver to the House Ways & Means committee federal income tax returns requested by the committee. No fuzziness there—the IRS must comply with the committee's request.
Such illegal behavior by Trump's lawyers and all other lawyers involved in attempting to block the House Ways & Means Committee are acts of an authoritarian ruler and his associates.
The federal court hearing the House lawsuit filed against Trump and the White House should adjudicate the case immediately and quickly.
12
@AACNY
The IRS reports to Steve Mnuchin, hand puppet of Donald Trump. The Secretary of the Treasury can exert his influence on any recommendations.
The other hand puppet, William Barr, wouldn't recommend a shooting on 5th Avenue for prosecution. This A.G. leaves every question of presidential culpability to impeachment by Congress.
Congress oversees The Executive. Capiche?
11
If this, act of stalling and stonewalling, actually establishes precedent, then the path for winning and maintaining control of the Presidency is painfully bare.
It doesn't matter if you win the Executive Office with dirty hands, because you are beyond the reach of any subpoena. Further, using the reasoning of the Treasury Secretary, all of the members of immediate circle of trust, also share this cloak of impenetrability.
Can we learn from Hong Kong
8
@B: yes, you should learn from HK, but probably not in the way you were thinking. The president is a scofflaw, just like the protesters who broke into the LegCo, only he is worse because of his oath of office. In the case of the illegal protesters (distinguished from those who legally marched in protest), the evidence of wrongdoing does not need much investigation, but judgement may require leniency. In the case of Trump, the tax returns are needed because of past behavior, and will probably reveal illegal acts. Leniency is probably not required because he has already got away with so much.
1
Enough about the guys tax returns. It will remain in court for who knows how long. It's a given, tax evasion is a hobby of his and he as yet be called to the carpet.
you want to catch him at his game?
Vote him out in 2020 placed this now private citizens into the hands of New York Attorney Gen.Ofice , Letitia James.
4
How about both?
13
Wouldn’t the IRS prosecute?
Trump is constantly proclaiming he is the most transparent president ever. Transparency includes revealing your taxes, your financial records, your school transcripts, your foundations dealings, your conversations with world leaders (especially hostile world leaders), the security clearances of your administration, the bills paid by tax payers for stays at your own properties which you profit from, allowing members of your administration testify before lawful investigations, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.....
In reality, trump is the most secretive, most corrupt, most inhuman, most incompetent, most egotistical president we have ever had to endure, God help us all.
20
it is sad in the United States of America that we have to pray and Hope for a Good Samaritan whistleblower from the IRS to dump stuff at the Washington Post... Or New York Times... all because our legislative and US Constitution is not being followed.
13
What happens when the Justice Department refuses to enforce any court order? The no one will enforce the law, we’re done.
9
Wouldn't Mueller's team already have accessed the Trump tax returns?
If there was something there, we would have heard about it already.
4
@A: there is no evidence that Mueller considered the tax returns within the scope of his investigation, and there are indications that he did not. This is one of the questions that need to be put to him by Congress.
2
The “legitimate legislative purpose” would be to draft a law requiring candidates to disclose tax returns.
5
@David Trump
OK, but you don't need to see anyone's tax returns to do that. Just pass the law.
Why did this take so long? The Dems need to press Trump's stonewalling with a much greater sense of urgency. It's not a complicated issue and it's hard to convince a court to act quickly when you delay filing for the relief you seek.
11
I'm thinking that release of Trump's tax returns will have the same effect on the recalcitrant Republican party that the release of Nixon's Watergate tapes had on them. The indefensible will no longer be defensible.
18
one can only hope
6
@Schneiderman
You're delusional. 99% of the people in this country don't understand their own 1040EZ. None of the will understand Trump's returns. Plus, there is no way they will be released publicly. At best, Congress will get them.
Does the law say that the President has to turn over the returns?
Yes. Yes it does.
Does the law say that the House has to give a reason that the President or the Judiciary agrees with or finds compelling?
No. No it does not.
Impeach him if he refuses or eliminate budget items he wants.
18
Where does it say this is law?
2
The IRS is auditing Trump. If it suspects criminal activity it will initiate a criminal investigation. If it believes it has a case, it will recommend that the US Attorney prosecute it. To think Congress would be able to see something in those returns that the IRS cannot is, quite frankly, farfetched.
5
There is a difference between illegal behavior and understanding whether the president has debts and other ties to foreign powers. Maybe they show a lot of funds coming from Russia. Everything may be legal from a tax standpoint but still show that he’s been compromised or violating the Enullments Clause.
13
@AACNY Trump has used the IRS audit as an excuse for a long time. My boyfriend was an auditor. He said there is nothing preventing Trump from releasing his tax returns. He would have to release them to a bank for a loan or a mortgage. That is a tired excuse from Trump and Bob would yell at the TV screen while calling him a liar.
12
As evidenced by the majority of comments here, the motivation for obtaining his tax returns is to harass, embarrass, entrap, and/or find evidence of connections to Russia or oligarchs or any number of fanatical theorized culprits. None of those reasons fall into the Congress’s legitimate need to audit the effectiveness of the IRS. As such, this will hang in the Federal Court system until ruled upon by the Supreme Court.
5
Nope, you’re wrong. It’s to get accountability and ensure that your president is not using his position to benefit himself, all those Emolument Clauses.
11
@William
"find evidence of connections to Russia or oligarchs or any number of fanatical theorized culprits."
That falls directly under the Emoluments Clause of the U.S. Constitution. It is legitimate.
10
The White House is dead on arrival on this. the Supreme Court just ruled that gerrymandering was not the province of the court if it was done solely as part of a "partisan action."
...and this is exactly the argument the WH is making on this.
Too bad...DOA on this.
2
So who's going to be surprise to find out that he has cheated the government and lied about his taxes for most of his life? Innocent until proven guilty? OK. Then let's take a look. The rest of us have to play by the rules, why not the Golden One.
12
It's obvious that Democrats in the House want to see Trump's returns so they can publish them to the public and spend the next six years pointing out things that are unflattering to the president.
Things like he donated to Planned Parenthood in 1996, proving to anti-abortionists that he supports abortion and to pro-abortionists that he is a hypocrite. They want to look at the details of a charitable deduction on a conservation easement he took for $20 million that the IRS audit reduced to $18 million causing him to make an additional $400,000 tax payment plus interest and penalties. That proves he tried to cheat the government. They want to point to some aggressive tax position he took in 2004 that the IRS made illegal in 2007. Democrats will point to the illegal tax evasion without mentioning that it was legal at the time Trump followed the advice of his tax attorney.
No crime or even unethical behavior, but grist for the mill.
Under the law, the HWAMC is entitled to review ant taxpayer return in secret but is forbidden from releasing any individual identification to the public.
If, after the demand for data results in SCOTUS ruling that the records be turned over, Democrats are going to leak to the public and then pretend they don't know who the leakers are.
The proper payback would be for the Senate to request some tax returns. My suggestion would be Obama, Pelosi and Feinstein. For every Trump leak, foreign payments to one of the three leaked. Oops.
6
Thank you for describing those three potentially unflattering items from Trump's taxes. I had not been aware. Like others commenting here, I have been focused on the possible debts to and illegal favors for Russian oligarchs, Emoluments Clause violations, and other betrayals of the country. Foolish me....
1
After on-line research, I have confirmed that the bill passed by both houses of the New York state legislature to share Trump's state tax returns with Congress has not been acted upon by Governor Cuomo. I am disappointed in The Times for not mentioning this in any separate articles recently.
7
During the American Revolution ─after declaring the independence and US Congress appointed George Washington as the commander- in- chief of a non-existing army. Washington was expected to fight the world’s most formidable military force─ the British Army and the mighty British navy. George Washington had to toil, scramble, beg, lobby, plead─ and pray ─for resources. He stayed up every-night writing his pleas ─after fighting the battles during the day. The war erupted in Boston and spread down to New York. The Congress insisted defending New York, strong hold of the British, with a huge Tory population. But provided General Washington with nothing. General Washington had to borrow money from private businessmen, like Robert Morris or convince rich Quakers in Philadelphia helping him didn’t not violate their non-violent beliefs. Our American freedom-fighters were starving, without shoes, clothes, blankets medicine or tents. They were exhausted, sick, unpaid, frostbitten. The crossing of Delaware and miraculous wins in Trenton and Princeton changed the fortunes─ and it was Geroge Washington’s mythical leadership, who led a band of common folk─ ready to die for the cause of independence─ so that this new nation can become a reality. It wasn’t the comfy city elite in Boston, New York or Philadelphia who won America’s independence. President Donald Trump’s predicament with the current do-nothing Congress is quite strikingly similar to what George Washington faced at the time.
I can only hope this is satire... Comparing Trump to Washington - gimme a break
17
@ChandraPrince
"General Washington had to borrow money from private businessmen.."
Great idea! If American wars had to be funded by the wealthy, there would be a lot less of them.
As far as American "freedom fighters" are concerned, Washington's men were defending their homes from invaders; in today's wars, our soldiers are the invaders of other people's homes.
9
In the beginning I thought Trump was withholding his Tax Returns in the beginning because he did not want people knowing he was not a Billionaire as he always bragged about how wealthy he was
Now I believe he does not want us to know how he has taken advantage of the Government and it’s Treasure.
Either way Trump has lots to hide
16
Congress: Send the Sergeant at Arms over to the IRS and drag its officials from their offices -- if they won't surrender the documents willfully. Also, are all of you simply misinformed about what democracy is all about?
Come on!
8
If you are a Trump supporter you know he is a fraud and a con man. My favorite is when he says the Bible is his favorite book, even though he can’t name a favorite chapter or verse. It’s like he’s telling the evangelicals, “Of course I’m conning you.” He’s mocking them in exchange for their pro life SCOTUS.
His tax returns will reveal everything and he knows it; and his supporters know it.
11
Forget the Bible. Donald Trump doesn’t even know the words to the Star Spangled Banner, even after shrieking for months about the supposed lack of patriotism of NFL players. What a fraud he is.
5
Dems playing checkers not chess. Trump is a master at checkers.
3
When can we see his NY state tax returns? I don't understand why we haven't seen them already.
8
In an interview with Tucker Carlson , Trump said homelessness started 2 years ago. However, I remember Trump talking about how his casino bankruptcies almost made him homeless. That was in the early 90s. Slightly more than 2 years ago. Then along came the Russians.
I wonder what Trump's tax returns have to say about the president's financial indebtedness to foreign interests.
5
The only interesting question this case raises is whether the courts will allow the opponents of the subpoena to introduce evidence of the "real motives" of the Congressmen pushing it, rather than their stated, official motives. If the courts can authorize discovery into the "real motives" of administration officials when faced with a facially valid executive action like in the Census case, then they should do the same thing here.
3
except that in one case there is a law which says that Congress can request the documents, no explanation or justification required. The Trump administration just made up a requirement.
3
People running for President should understand that the American people have a right to know if the President has any financial conflicts of interest that might interfere with his ability to act in the interest of the country and the people. If you don't want your finances to become public, choose a different job than President of the United States.
18
Isn't the larger question:What is Trump hiding? He said that his taxes were under audit and would be released once the audit was finished. Not released yet. Then he stopped the House committee from seeing his taxes. What is he hiding?
He said the Mueller report found No Collusion. No obstruction. After interviewing Trump administration and campaign personnel, Trump now claims"absolute immunity" for them. What is he hiding?
10
I'm curious to see Donald and Ivanka's tax return but unless there is probable cause which suggests tax fraud we have no right to see those returns.
2
@MIKEinNYC
Sorry, make that Donald and Melania.
3
Well yes we do, because he is not divested from his business interests.
The fact that he occupies a position that has the ability to make policy which can benefit those business interests to the detriment of the public at large is precisely what makes his tax returns our business.
8
I absolutely support the suit by the Ways and Means Committee. Moreover, I propose that they seek the tax returns of every member of Congress who has not otherwise provided them. Or at least, give the public the names of members of Congress who have not disclosed their returns. This way, we the citizens can refuse to re-elect them.
3
"The provision in question — Section 6103 — dates to the Teapot Dome scandal of the 1920s and says merely that the Treasury secretary “shall” furnish the requested material."
I don't know why this should have to go to the Supreme Court. Even a non-lawyer like me knows from dealing with contracts that "shall" means you must do it.
10
The absolute height of desperation and irrelevancy. Does the American left honestly have any reason to follow and support this charade? Not a single line of attack on our President has led to a result that remotely justifies the waste of Congressional duty expended. How badly does the left want to lose next year? Your boat is sinking and you keep adding ballast.
4
The case may ultimately go to the - by Trump illegally appointed - Supreme Court. Good luck with that.
3
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the 2020 election is what really matters. And it is not just about defeating Mr. Trump. It is also about taking back the Senate, and putting Mr. McConnell out to pasture.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/01/opinion/senate-democrats-mcconnell-2020.html
4
As long as Trump is in office his tax returns will never see the light of day given he has stacked the Supreme court. I envision problems for Trump when he is no longer president with the NY judicial system. And it is my hope that NY is able to legally put the screws to this con miester just as he has put the screws to the American people. #Lock him up!
19
I'm hedging my bets on the Southern District of New York to get to the bottom of Trump's "fishy" dealings since taking office. Things will never move forward if requests or even subpoenas are issued for information from this administration. It is ridiculous to even think any one of them would comply since it would result in a domino effect as each illegal action would take its toll on all of the players in this seemingly endless saga; maybe slowly but taken down one by one.
I believe they are keeping together not out of loyalty but out of self preservation. Remember how Trump had Manafort's back? So much for loyalty.
10
If intuition and the intense amount of reading I seem to be doing in these disturbing political times...the blatant in your face demeaning of everything and everyone who listens and says what was that?, then the man is up to his neck in stealth financial intrigue, alliances with dictatorships, erratic twittering...hes in it up to his neck. Release the tax returns and do things by the book. In the end, I believe the GOP is vastly outnumbered and is working tirelessly to rework our Constitution.
5
Finally, Democrats stop rolling over and playing dead.
4
Well were at it lets see see his education transcripts from The Wharton School of Business (University of Pennsylvania),
and his medical records for the Bone Spurs. 'pa·thet·ic Stable Genius'
5
Ethics in government is addressed in HR 1, the "For the People Act," one of the first and most important pieces of legislation passed by the House earlier this year. The bill also includes important voting rights and campaign finance provisions.
Time for the Republican controlled Senate to come up with a companion bill and hold hearings on it. That is, unless Republicans don't care about ethics, voting rights and money in politics.
2
Unfortunately we cannot get those tax returns now because his last 50 years of tax returns are still under audit.
When we someday get these records it will reveal that Trump is exactly what he appears to be: a lackey to the Russian oligarchs.
If only the Republican Party and those 46% of voters had made sure their presidential candidate was not beholden to a hostile foreign power.
8
Just like the ruling in the case of gerrymandering, the Supreme Court will rule it is up to legislators to determine what are legislative requirements. It just a matter of time before we see his tax returns. The danger to democrats is, there may not be any surprises. Then Trump will call it Democrats witch-hunt, which may stick.
1
The NY legislators passed a law to share NYS tax returns with Congress if requested.
Why isn’t this approach being used?
7
@KennStandig
Ummm, because such a bill would never get passed into law. I suggest you brush up on how bills become law. Maybe watch some Schoolhouse Rock
@GMooG
I suggest you brush up on your manners instead of making rude and obnoxious comments. Maybe watch some Sesame Street.
3
Let’s end Presidential pardons while we’re at it. Do you really think Mnunchin, Huckabee-Sanders, Manafort, or any of his minions would break our laws so brazenly if they didn’t have the safety net of a pardon?
5
What took them so long it is about time.
6
Since the stated goal of the committee is to insure that the IRS is properly enforcing the tax laws, the committee is not going far enough. The vast number of returns being sought concern years before which Trump became president. Therefor, he was not head of the executive branch of government which includes the IRS. So he could not have influenced the IRS any more than any other wealthy person.
In order to really determine whether the IRS enforces the tax laws, the committee needs a far greater sample than just one person. There are many billionaires whose wealth significantly exceeds Trump's and whose tax liabilities should also significantly exceed Trump's.
I urge the Ways and Means committee to establish a special subcommittee whose sole purpose is to insure that the IRS enforces the tax laws. It would do so by issuing subpoenas to everyone in the country earning, say, $1 million or more and going through these returns line by line to reveal any areas where such individuals may be getting away with violating tax law.
This is the only way we can accomplish the stated purpose of the committee chairman. Looking at only one person's return, whether it's Trump, Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, or even you or me is a useless exercise. Moreover, it will demonstrate that the committee is not just singling out Trump for purely political purposes, but really wants to see , if, as the chairman states his purpose, the IRS is properly enforcing tax law.
1
@Gino G but examining the tax returns, to help determine the trustworthiness, ethics, and most importantly, the reliability of the man who holds the access codes to launch thermonuclear weapons, is worth more than doing it for all of the millionaires and billionaires on Earth, don’t you think?
1
Trump holds yet another Joker in his Joker-is-wild poker hand. He will fire anyone who complies with Congressional subpoenas and deprive them of their retirements. He's already done it twice against the FBI. Granted, these people probably don't really need those retirements as they probably come from "well-heeled" families or have made their fortunes elsewhere but, if they served, they still deserve them. The power of the president to ruin lives is not an article of the Constitution but this president is making it obvious the Constitution and other laws do not apply to him.
7
News Flash to our Sovietized mass-media: Despite the self-righteous hate-Trump assault by the DNC Politburo, "longstanding presidential tradition" isn't law.
3
@Alice's Restaurant but violation of the tax codes in conjunction with emoluments clause violations is!
9
@Alice's Restaurant: If the NY Times and other respectable media really were Sovietized, you wouldn't be able to comment in them.
7
Just follow the money. It is the key. Donald Trump is the biggest criminal to ever be a US President. All of his schemes, all of his donors, all of his baggage, are buried in his IRS filings.
11
I don’t know why the House has to file a lawsuit to seek full disclosure of Trump’s taxes.
It should be a law!
What the heck is happening ti this country????!!!!
8
Good luck with that.
“You can keep as quiet as you like, but one of these days somebody is going to find you.”
― Haruki Murakami, 1Q84
5
In 2021, after taking back the Senate and the WH, the Democratic congress must pass anti-corruption legislation that requires every presidential candidate on the ballot to disclose their tax returns for at least the 5 previous years.
About the only positive of the current executive is that it's conduct is exposing glaring weaknesses in public (congressional) oversight of the office of the executive.
5
Well, I think with Mnuchin and Barr in charge, even a decision by the federal court for them comply will be ignored. They will want to make their way to the Supreme court.
If I, Joe Everyman were suspected of tax fraud, and the case went to court, would there be any question that all of my tax information would be obtained?
1
Blocking access to information Congress claims it needs to do oversight is an impeachable offense, period. If Congress overreaches, the voters kick its members out, and the threat of this is what keeps them in line, not the President's judgment that they are overreaching or have overreached.
The law says that certain members of Congress get to see any tax return they want. Period. If the public thinks they have abused this power, they will not be reelected, and the knowledge of this is what keeps them from abusing the power, or even using it.
BTW, the law was passed when Republicans controlled the government.
If it needed a justification, Congress could say that it needs to see the tax returns to judge whether Trump is making foreign policy decisions to help his businesses.
8
Finally--the courts will rule against Mnuchin, Rettig and the Judicial branch. Can't wait to see Trump's taxes, his WH lawyer's notes on obstruction, the Mueller's counter-intelligence report and how they contrived the Census citizenship question.
1
Hey, AG of NY or Southern District Of NY, if you’re listening, I hope you’re able to find the indictments that are missing...
4
@Covfefe
The federal AG Mr Barr has gone missing too for some reason.
4
the president of the United States is a public servant! Ends all discussions and arguments. You must serve the public and when asked to do so you must comply.
7
It's about time we find out what we suspected all along, that Trump is a crook, cheating on his taxes for many years, and sticking us with the bill.
4
I suggest you ignore uninformed partisans and work your way through the law to solve this issue:
"Disclosure to Committees of Congress
(1) Committees on Ways and Means, Finance, and Joint Committee on Taxation
Upon written request from [any of these 3 committees], the Secretary shall furnish it with any return .. specified ... except that any return ... which can ... identify ... a particular taxpayer shall be furnished to such committee only when sitting in executive session ...
(2) Chief of Staff of Joint Committee on Taxation
Upon written request by the Chief of Staff of this Committee, the Secretary shall furnish him with any return .... specified in such request. Such Chief of Staff may submit such return ... to any committee described in paragraph (1), except that any return ... which can identify ... a particular taxpayer shall be furnished to the committee only when sitting in executive session ...
(3) Other committees
Upon ... request by .. any other committee of the ... House ... specially authorized to inspect any return, the Secretary shall furnish such committee, sitting in executive session, with any return ... which such resolution authorizes the committee to inspect. Any resolution described [here] shall specify the purpose for which the return ...is to be furnished and that such information cannot reasonably be obtained from any other source."
Clear and simple, under the law, many committees can review Trump's returns while in executive session,
6
Former President Richard Nixon released his tax returns, with the apt and immortal line, ‘The American people deserve to know their President isn’t a crook!’
Meanwhile, Trump is fighting tooth and nail not to releases his tax returns because he is a crook.
He has been a crook for decades. The level of his corruption and malfeasance is stunning- money laundering, tax evasion, connections to organized crime, fraud, fraudulent conveyance, etc.
To play along with stupid for a minute, if a tax audit is holding up his current return, there are decades of tax returns not under audit that would show he doesn’t pay taxes, he doesn’t pay his creditors, but doesn’t count creditor losses as income to himself to offset the business tax loss carry forward.
The American people don’t wonder if their President is a crook, They know it. Trump’s own actions confirm it. Crooked Hillary was one of his signature projections.
What you possibly won’t see evidence of in his taxes is the fact Donnie is an admitted serial molester of women; an accused rapist of at least 22 women; and pays off the women he is cheating on his wife with.
I say possibly because I suspect he writes off the cost of his sexual encounters as a business expense.
If Donnie was any other person, he would have to register as a sex offender and walk door to door around 1600 Pennsylvania and introduce himself to the neighbors as such.
14
Mr. Dog, say hello to Mr. Pony because that is all this show is; another cynical display of political expediency on the part of Pelosi and Company!
First, why would the leadership want to see Trump's tax returns?
Surely not to prove that they are in charge of oversight?
Of course not!
They want to see them because there might be financial improprieties that could directly link Trump to Russian oligarchs and/or those in the Kremlin.
Reasonable assumption, based on the Mueller Report.
Why else, except they are calling this "oversight", as opposed to a possible criminal investigation.
Worse, they are pitting the concept of oversight against executive privilege knowing full well that you have both an AG and an SC that buy into the concept of expanded executive privilege.
Not exactly a slam dunk.
Nor will this be decided anytime soon.
So why is Democratic Leadership doing this?
Because Pelosi and Company have decided to run out the clock!
They will not commit to an impeachment inquiry, but they do want a continuous stream of bad news for Trump.
Trump is a naughty boy. Over and over and over again.
As if the base does not already know this and which Trump supporter will ever believe Pelosi?
Can things can get anymore pathetic than this in our nation's capital?
Both parties are so hopelessly broken and beyond repair that they cannot get past their own cynical games.
I also suspect that this is far from the last showcase for Mr. Dog and Mr. Pony.
Just pathetic!
2
There is a strange aspect to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms known as the Notwithstanding Clause. More or less, it states that the various levels of governments can pass laws notwithstanding the fact that they violate certain sections of the Charter. Its use is normally to push controversial legislation through (for example, recent Quebec laws viewed by many as infringing on religious freedom).
It seems the trump administration has its own version of the Notwithstanding Clause, which I guess could be called the No We Don’t Clause, invoked any time the administration is told it must abide by the laws of the land.
4
"The Trump administration and the president’s personal lawyers have raised the “legitimate purpose” argument repeatedly as they have sought to parry Democratic demands for information..."
The House Democrats have been ever-so-polite in asking Trump's enablers to treat them as a legitimate branch of the government. Trusting thieves and liars to be honest and treat others with respect is a losing proposition.
If the House doesn't move soon to open an impeachment investigation, then Trump and his team of spitballers will lie and cheat their way to a win in 2020, and the Democrats will have proven that they truly have no "legitimate purpose".
3
Let’s also get the past tax returns of every member of Congress. Why would they object? Do they have something to hide? I’m curious. Aren’t you?
Hey Richie boy, many congressman and senators have released their tax information
How’s the squirrel stew this year?
4
Even if the tax returns are released, Barr will probably snatch them up, issue a brief and meaningless summary and then, weeks later, release a highly redacted version.
3
@Bob Hawthorne
If you had actually read the Mueller Report, you would know that it is not "highly redacted."
@GMooG
I did read the Mueller report. Each and every page. In my opinion it is highly redacted. Did you read it?
2
I'm no lawyer, but given that there are bills in Congress that would require all presidents to disclose their tax returns, it seems perfectly relevant to legislation for Congress to examine a sitting president's tax returns. The most obvious question is, do we actually need laws requiring presidents to turn out their pockets?
If it turns out Donald Trump is hiding some dirty business, then perhaps such a law is warranted. After all, Americans deserve to know if a candidate or sitting president has committed crimes, no matter how white collar and petty they may be. If Trump's taxes reveal no wrongdoing on the other hand, then maybe there's no need to force disclosure. Either way, Congress can't judge unless they have his taxes in front of them.
2
I wish we stop using the cliche “No one is above the law”. A sitting president, as the current one has successfully claimed again and again, with the approval of the Senate , the attorney general and even the special counsel have made that point perfectly clear.
4
Even if Trump's returns are being audited he can release the ones that have already been cleared by the IRS. If his 2016 returns are being audited, he can release 2015 and 2014.
6
@Hastings. The IRS has no objection to the release of returns under audit. This is Trump’s line, but it isn’t true.
9
I anticipate that the day after the election in 2020, and trump loses, that this entire enterprise will be declared moot by whatever court this will still be sitting in front of.
On the contrary, Trump will face his most fierce opponent in NY State’s attorney general and the Southern District Court once out of office.
He’s dirty. Everyone knows. He’ll be running from the law for the remainder of his life out of office.
9
Pick your battles (wisely) is sorely lacking in this era. To take matters such as this to, most likely, the Supreme Court is a waste of time and whatever constructive information could come out of it. Trump has repeatedly demonstrated himself to be an unrepentant and interminable prevaricator. His business practices are already widely known. Many are bothered by them and many are not. In this day and time, seemingly more so than ever, the ends justifies the means. Furthermore, to demand the release of information that is not legally required is a foolhardy endeavor that only serves to further deflect time and energy and expenses from the more pressing issues of the day.
2
Wasting taxpayer dollars is pertinent
1
I wonder how much of a tax write-off he gets each time he spends millions in tax-payer money to patronize his own properties on his countless, tax-payer financed vacations.
Could this have been what was actually in Al Capone's famed vault so many years ago: "How to Fleece America"? Geraldo was, after all, a Rupert Murdoch employee.
4
@Gustav Aschenbach
How would that be a write off? If anything, that would generate income, not losses.
@GMooG "On the job expenses?" When your entire being is devoted to "what's in it for me," it's not hard to figure out a way to cheat everyone out of everything.
2
@Gustav Aschenbach
It's only a deductible expense if you pay it. When the Pres travels, the gov't pays. So again: How would this generate a write-off?
1
As he is a self appointed King how does Congress deal with this when his highness says no?
2
It’s clear. They run away like scared mice.
It’s too bad all the Republicans are “yes” people. Is there NO one in Congress who can tell this guy, “NO,” aside from Nancy Pelosi?
1
What is the difference between the information on a President's personal tax return and that furnished in the report he/she has to file to be in compliance with the Ethics in Government Act of 1978?
2
So they won't turn in the returns because they're damaging to Trump and the fact that they're damaging to Trump proves that they don't have to turn them in.
...
I can't handle much more of this.
5
I don't know if it's doable, but I'd like to see Mnuchin in cuffs, hauled off to the slammer until the tax returns appear.
8
Congress can ask New York State to reveal Donald Trump's tax returns. The tax returns from New York State will reveal most of what we need to know. Why do we have to wait for all of this? Who in the House of Representatives is standing on ceremony?
3
Among the findings if his tax returns are released will be #Brokeahantas negative net worth #BiglyFakeBillionaire
2
For such a ultra-successful multi-billionaire, Trump sure doesn’t want anyone seeing his fabulously make-us-all-jealous tax returns. Oh that’s right, he’s a grifter and a probable money launderer for Russian mobsters. Now his determination to hide his tax returns makes perfect sense.
8
The New York Times exposed some egregious disregard of tax laws over decades by his family including his sister. Shouldn't that be enough justification for Congress to look? Why can't they ask for the families' records irrespective of Donald?
That would have been the end of Obama or any other president.
.
12
Under the plain wording of the statute, all that needs to be done is to request them. Nothing requires that a “legislative reason” be given.
3
@Dawn
Good point. I do understand that. I just thought I would come at it from a slightly different angle. Yes you are correct. Problem now is that it is said the courts will take forever. But why should it take forever? It's not a complex issue as you correctly indicated. It could take 5 minutes like the liaison between Stormy and Donald when he was betraying Melania and the Playboy model at the same time to the now complete indifference of the religious right.
2
Trump and his administration are above the law...sorry to have to point it out. It would be great to be proven wrong, but...
2
@Solar Cat
This is America. And, so long it is, NO ONE is above the law.
Things may get a bit bumpy now and then, but here, the Rule of Law prevails.
4
This is a set up for another Rachel Maddow Al Capone’s vault moment. He plays them like a fiddle.
3
@Ron Yeah, sure he is. Except that if he wanted to humiliate them, he could have released them at any time over the last three years and done it then, since he has nothing to hide and all.
Wait, let me guess … he’s just waiting for the right moment because he’s “playing them like a fiddle.”
Do you people even hear yourselves?
4
Speaker Pelosi and Democratic House leadership are playing Mr. Trump's favorite game; Catch Me If You Can - See You In Court Suckers. The rulings by two federal district court judges have unequivocally rejected Mr. Trump's arguments alleging Congressional overreach and improper motive.
So Mr. Trump's chances of prevailing with that argument at the Federal Appellate level is less than 1 in 5. But any impartial reasonable legal review of Mr. Trump's argument against complying with Congressional subpoenas or plain language long-standing federal statute reveals his appeals are not intended to test settled legal precedent but delay House Democrats until either the public's interest or relevance has run out.
Does anyone naively believe a SCOTUS ruling on these burning Constitutional questions will matter if handed down sometime in December 2020 or January 2021? By that time Mr. Trump will have either been reelected or defeated in the 2020 national election.
If Mr. Trump is reelected are Speaker Pelosi and House Democrats going to move forward on formal impeachment hearings on whatever they find? Wouldn't Mr. Trump have the rejoiner the electorate has rendered its verdict by reelecting him?
And if Mr. Trump loses his reelection bid does it matter what his federal tax records reveal? While Speaker Pelosi and House Democrats rack up legal victories, Mr. Trump continues to accumulate a far more important tally .....TIME.
3
Exactly. This should be expedited on our quickest fast-track ever!
1
Normally, Donald Trump is so confident and proud, that he would LOVE to show off his tax returns!
He would eagerly share the results of his deal-making prowess and stable genius so that everyone would be impressed!
Not sure what the hold-up is....
Is Donald Trump becoming shy and humble?
Or is he not confident and proud of his tax returns?
15
Democracy was lost long before it was officially over. Both political parties are complicit in denying the will of the people affordable healthcare, combat zone free schools, safe roads and bridges, affordable education, life sustaining wages. Both parties work for the wealthy, to now include the wealthy donors from foreign countries. In 60 plus years, the only times I witnessed Congress move, with laser like precision was legislating their higher pensions, salaries , tax cuts for their wealthy puppeteers and wars. They are paid to obstruct any changes, to include mad Donald’s taxes and impeachment. Both parties are complicit.
5
@Fausto Alarcon Democrats are benign; Republicans are Malignant. Do not say they are the same. Trump/GOP are criminals; period.
2
Agreed. The Red V.S. Blue complex effectively put freedom in a museum
So, citizens are subject to the whims of opposition parties? Sorry, our constitutional protections are worth more than this!
Trump and his henchpeople are plainly, clearly, unambiguously breaking the law.
Our courts move too slowly in general, and specifically, in matters that involve elections with specific deadlines.
Too bad we lack timely enforcement and remedial actions.
5
At this point is common knowledge for a lot of us who voted for Trump,
It’s about his lack of integrity too many of us that is so glaring.
I just don’t see any Democrats that are appealing , Yes, Trump was a fluke, but, show us a better alternative.
@Independent voter THINK, or do you believe that values and moral conviction are exclusive to party affiliation?
2
@Independent voter Anyone is better than Trump. Anyone;Snoopy; a bag of potato chips; hair clippings are better than Trump. Trump is a malignancy.
2
Omg, so you’re going to vote for a fluke with no integrity again??
Seriously.
2
I am getting very frustrated. A couple weeks ago, my understanding was that the Governor of New York signed a bill authorizing the states tax agency to hand over to Congress Trumps State of New York tax returns and then nothing. Does anyone know what happened?
4
There is reason I have had the same screen name for over two years.....
Until his tax returns are made public he will be a suspected criminal.
After his tax returns are made public he will be a convicted criminal.
12
More petty politics by out-of-favor House Democrats.
2
If he has nothing to hide, then why is he hiding them?
Pretty simple question, with an equally simple answer(s)
1. He's corrupt
2. He isn't as rich as he has been lying about
3. He has probably paid little or no taxes
10
We should not for a split second give in to anything that resembles avoidance of his taxes!! The President of the United States of America refusing to show US the people of the United States of America his income tax report! That is the singularly most humiliating and deafening answer to our democracy! People Remember that when you go out to vote! Everyone is due a fair and evenhanded response from the government. Including the president!!
4
@Willy
Ending every sentence with an exclamation point does not make a weak argument stronger.
1
Mitch McConnell will be working the court to see that the request is denied.
3
At the end despite how much ever he pays or doesn't pay this will not hurt him at all. He's marching towards a 2020 victory. Right now the Democratic party is looking completely clueless and lost. They seem divided on impeachment on who they support out of the list of 20 oddballs, what should they focus on to beat DJT, etc. The one thing they do seem united on is providing as many freebies to the illegals as they can - in fact they're falling over themselves to appease the illegals who're invading our country. And that is not going to win anything. What a pity that they can't come up with one viable candidate who can bring people to the center and do the right thing.
5
The House will have to go to court and when the case is adjudicated and all appeals resolved, the tax returns will be turned over. However, it will like take years.
At this point the House has a very difficult situation to resolve. Trump has used the big lie technique to convince most of the electorate that their investigations are politically motivated. So pursuing the matter will bring down their credibility in the eyes of the public. People like McConnell and Graham could tell the public the truth, that Trump is not entitled to withhold his returns from the Congress. It would be appropriate for them to do so, because it really is a concern for the Congress regardless of party that the President obey the legitimate requests from the Legislative Branch. But Republicans are unable to see anything but having and keeping power for their Party, even if it undermines the authority of the Congress.
3
If the courts rule against Congress and the Constitution, then we have a real problem.
However, we know what the returns will show:
- he's not worth the money he said he is
- he gives nothing to charity
- he has a cat's cradle of LLCs that hide the shenanigans
- there will be inexplicable income sources
His "base" (how appropriate) will not waver. The rest of the country must rise to the occasion and return us to sanity. At this point, I'd elect my cat -- but she has other things to do.
5
@Phil Carson
Yes, but the request in conformance with the law, so the courts will likely confirm that the request must be respected.
3
So people accused of crimes get to decide whether the accusations have merit. Interesting line of reasoning.
6
I don't understand why Mnuchin hasn't been arrested and I don't understand why democrats have been slow walking this. It has been months since the illegal refusal.
I'd like someone in the government to write a guide as to what laws we can safely ignore. It is clear that laws have no meaning in the US except that many people are still arrested and imprisoned. Or is really about wealth? If that is the case would congress please provide guidance regarding that as well. How rich do I have to be before I can legally commit crimes that poor people get punished for? I have heard this saying that ignorance of the law is no excuse, but it's not hard to be ignorant when it is obvious that their are mitigating issues that are not shared with us serfs.
11
As Americans we should seek transparency and accountability of our elected officials no matter the office they hold.
7
You imply that Trump was never worried about the claims that he was in collusion with the Russians but rather that his business dealings might be shown to be illegal. I am still hoping for continued pressure to have Democrat Congressman Schiff produce the secret evidence that he has that proves Trump colluded with the Russians.
2
@Richard Bourne
Here is some strong circumstantial evidence of that in the Mueller report. Undeniably this indicates he was obstructing justice. Why do that if he were not guilty of some kind of co-ordination? Remember the official name of Mueller's report is
"Report On The Investigation
Into Russian Interference In The
2016 Presidential Election"
The following extract shows Trump was obstructing investigations into a foreign attack:
"Our investigation found multiple acts by the President that were capable of exerting undue influence over law enforcement investigations, including the Russian-interference and obstruction investigations. The incidents were often carried out through one-on-one meetings in which the President sought to use his official power outside of usual channels. These actions ranged from efforts to remove the Special Counsel and to reverse the effect of the Attorney General's recusal; to the attempted use of official power to limit the scope of the investigation; to direct and indirect contacts with witnesses with the potential to influence their testimony."
4
So while we wait for Godot, where are the much-ballyhood NY returns that the state legislature said could be delivered to Congress? Are they lost on Amtrak somewhere between Albany and DC?
2
@trettig
You had better clarify for the brilliant evangelicals that Godot is a construct of Samuel Beckett and not their God who handed us the 10 commandments... you know the list that includes
Thou shalt not bear false witness and
Thou shalt not commit adultery
They vote for a man who flouts these commandments in plain sight like he flouts the tax laws that everybody else is subject to.
1
"The outcome is likely to determine whether financial information that Mr. Trump — breaking with longstanding tradition — has kept closely guarded as a candidate and as president will be viewed by Congress and, ultimately, by the public."
Even if Trump's financial information ultimately is given to Congress to view and read, that information will no nowhere as long as Mitchell McConnell remains the Senate Majority Leader.
Trump's financial records will end up like the Mueller Report - nowhere.
I don't believe there was ever a president who continuously tried so hard to keep stuff secret while claiming to be innocent and having done nothing wrong or illegal. It defies logic and boggles the brain.
7
@Marge Kelle
Muellers Report is still there. Patriotic Americans would read it. For example this section
" Our investigation found multiple acts by the President that were capable of exerting undue influence over law enforcement investigations, including the Russian-interference and obstruction investigations. The incidents were often carried out through one-on-one meetings in which the President sought to use his official power outside of usual channels. These actions ranged from efforts to remove the Special Counsel and to reverse the effect of the Attorney General's recusal; to the attempted use of official power to limit the scope of the investigation; to direct and indirect contacts with witnesses with the potential to influence their testimony."
Bob will be testifying on the 17th if he can get a word in as Gym Jordan tries to rant over the top of a war hero with war medals unlike Jordan's cult leader.
4
@Bob Guthrie
I agree with you Mr. Guthrie and truly appreciate the passage you quoted. The real question is how much will Robert Mueller be able to speak freely before someone shuts him down.
He has plenty to tell. Hopefully he will have an open rein in doing so.
Thanks much for your valuable comment and for taking the time to share your thoughts!!!
2
And what if he says he did not indict because he did not recommend action? We are sick of waiting for old white men to save us. Impeach him. That process has real teeth to it.
The case for releasing Trump's tax returns would be stronger of he House started an Impeachment Inquiry.
I said I would trust Mueller and waited for his report.
Mueller said:
Russia attacked our elections.
Trump obstructed the investigation into those attacks.
We could not clear Trump of crimes.
This is an impeachment referral.
The media is not taking High Crimes seriously!
The way for Democrats to make the media take it seriously is to have an impeachment inquiry. This also strengthens their hands in the courts.
I was against impeachment before the Mueller Report, but now we have the impeachment referral.
Trump keeps calling for political violence against political opponents, obstructing justice, and committing other High Crimes against the Constitution. It is time to impeach.
For those that think impeachment will help Republicans, Bush won the presidency after Clinton was impeached, and for the next 20 years have controlled the House for 14 of those years and the Senate 16 years.
IT IS TIME TO IMPEACH!
5
Neat:
"The House’s tax-writing committee sued the Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service on Tuesday demanding access to President Trump’s tax returns, ..."
4
All of this seems somewhat of a waste. The Democrats are not going to court to force Hicks and McGann to testify. So Trump didn't pay taxes and has lied about it? What else is new? His Good-German base will love and vote for him no matter what, until the coastal waters cover their homes and the fires take care of the rest. Sociopaths often are impervious to consequences and do not face them in good time, often never. "All it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing." What is doing nothing? Failure to impeach.
3
The people will finally get Trumps Tax returns or trump & his cohorts have disrupted our Democracy.If Trump gets away with this he will set a president for other Presidents, to hide whatever they want from the people, which could lead to a Dictatorship, & corruption.
4
"The House has also held off from voting to hold Mr. Barr or Mr. Mnuchin in contempt of Congress, a step that in the past has preceded asking a judge to issue an order requiring an executive branch official to comply with a subpoena." This is at the heart of the difference between the moral but spineless Democrats and the amoral but aggressive Republicans. The loser in these battles is always the USA. It is long passed the time to put country over party. The Democrats are guilty of congressional malpractice.
3
"House Files Lawsuit Seeking Disclosure of Trump Tax Returns"
Good!
The committee needed to do this and force it all the way up to the the Supreme Court if necessary.
I hope the committee will also do what is required to get the copies the State of New York has said are now available since they passed the law to allow that.
I think it will be very interesting to review what Trump filed with his state tax returns versus what he filed on his federal returns. I would not be at all surprised to find there are differences between the values on each tax return that favored Trump.
5
@jerry
Sterlin was referring to Congressional oversight of the Executive branch in Article One of the Constitution.
The ability for Congressional Commitees (not all) to have access to any citizen’s tax return is a law.
12
Congress has the ability to look at tax returns for legitimate legislative purposes. Getting his returns for political reasons does not qualify as “legitimate legislative purposes”. So the Democrats are using a false pretext.
@Matt
Actually, this President is conducting his private business while in office because the laws do not prevent it. His tax returns are the only way to determine whether he is not behaving corruptly, in his own interests and not those of the people. So Congress has every right and obligation to see them.
3
There is a reason trump is refusing to release his tax returns.
There is a reason trump displays fawning deference to Putin and MBS of Saudi Arabia.
There is a reason to suspect the two are connected given trump's financial history.
This is the reason he is terrified of their release.
32
The reason is that he wants to excite his base and show that the Democrats have no good ideas. He has nothing to hide. He hires accountants with CPA’s that have their license in the line.
So if you have your license it means you wouldn’t commit a crime? This is trump world logic now?
3
Trump has repeatedly declared a willingness to show his taxes if he weren't being audited. However, he has never produced an IRS audit letter, and it therefore seems doubtful ones exist. Such documents are among the Trump tax items requested from the IRS.
Trump's lawyers will try to slow the court process to a standstill. But surely the courts know that justice delayed is justice denied. The House committee request is absolutely straightforward and within the law. The federal courts should quickly rule in favor of the House.
And, if the Democratically controlled House behaves as Republican led committees have repeatedly done under Trump, these documents will soon be leaked to the public. And that's exactly as Trump professed he wanted it, assuming his audits were fake or not interminable.
4
Wouldn't it be a much more legally winning strategy for the Democrats in the House to open an impeachment investigation and argue that the "legitimate legislative purpose" is investigating this President for any "high crimes and misdemeanors" some of which might be evidenced by his tax returns.
13
"Shall" doesn't leave much wiggle room.
The Constitution provides that the House shall make laws and is a co-equal branch with the executive.
I can't see how ANY federal court - even the Supreme Court - can rule in favor of the Trump administration. This is a pretty clear-cut case and Mnuchin and company are treading on slippery ground here.
I'm reminded of the black knight in "Monty Python and The Holy Grail" who keeps losing one limb after another in a futile case of resistance to King Arthur. We all know how it's going to end...
10
Congress is overreaching here. They don’t have any legitimate legislative reason to get the tax returns and there is no law saying he needs to disclose it. Simple as that. I think the Supreme Court will rule in his favor just like they ruled against him on the census question. Both had false pretext.
@hdtvpete
"The Constitution provides that the House shall make laws and is a co-equal branch with the executive."
No, the Constitution doesn't say anything like that. What it says is that (a) the House, and the Senate, together can pass a bill that becomes a law IF the President signs it, or if Congress overides a veto, and (b) the House and the Senate TOGETHER constitute a co-equal branch of government.
I agree that the release and review of DJT’s tax returns will not show is anything new.
They will simply corroborate the testimony of Michael Cohen, indicating that DJT has openly committed tax, banking and insurance fraud.
Like I said ...nothing new!
7
Just so tired of this man.
Someone hand me a petition to sign to get rid of him.
"Not legal"? you say.
Of course it is.
The law is now whatever anyone wants.
I say, forget Impeachment.
Just cobble together a petition and when the number of signatures passes the number of votes he got (note: That would be 3 million LESS votes than Hillary Clinton got - and don't forget: Jimmy Carter, last week, said that Trump was not a legitimate president) then we get to move out all of that trash from the White House.
And, who would be his replacement?
Why, no one.
Trump has proved that a president is unnecessary.
Or, we could just re-install Jimmy Carter.
He's my man!
6
Democrats are going too slow on these subpoenas and law suits to comply information from the Trump Administration. They look like senile deer in the headlights on TV- Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Shumer, Jerry Nadler, Adam Schiff - the guys who head up committees in the House responsible for collectiong information which may be relevant to impeaching Trump
Once again they are putting all their investigative eggs in the hope that Robert Mueller will tell them to impeach by showing obstruction of justice. Most Americans don't even understand what obstruction of justice is.
All the younger Democrats in the debates are in favor of impeachment. It is the right thing to do regardless of the impact on the election. it is required by Democratic members of the House and Senate to take action. The American public understands action.
Nancy and Chuck have "overthought" the consequenes and played Hamlet - to impeach or not to impeach. The Constitution requires Nancy to bring Articles of Impeachment. She will go down in history as a coward - afraid of doing her duty, using euphemisms to describe Trump's behavior. I' m fed up with her and Chuck Schumer. They have become part of the problem for their failure to take bold, clear actions. They look like bumbling idiots on TV.
Time to pass the torch. Swalwell - move to San Francisco!
7
@BSmith Absolutely right; and we should note that the only winner in Hamlet was the foreign enemy, Fortinbras, who had his sights on the country from the beginning
The man in the White House wreaks of corruption, bad faith, and incompetence. We, the people, have every reason to question whether he is serving OUR interests. Anything that can be done to allay (or prove) our concerns should be done. Urgently.
7
The harassment continues. Good luck with that in 2020 with Independents...
In any event, count me surprised a career Democrat... I mean... er... bureaucrat hasn’t already given them to Rachel Maddow by now.
3
@EGD
They did. Even this paper had received some from a decade ago. Yet despite the hype, the only thing that was shown is that he's lied to the public about how rich he is.
They haven't made up their mind up yet if it's better for ratings if he's poor or if it's better to bang the drum that he's secretly rich.
About time!
9
he has alot to hide. get real people. if you can't tell the truth you got something to hide. look at it this way. If he's convicted of a felony for the Cohen thing in NY. Well then it all becomes record. And the walls fall down. SWEET. VOTE HIM OUT. LOCK HIM UP
6
Most of us are flat broke, can you look into that maybe? Thanks.
7
How about a lawsuit to get him out of the White House? Oh I forgot! He's using presidency in order to continue his life of crime without any interjection from the law.
13
@Elmira There is - its called IMPEACHMENT!
Each of the Democratic candidates are working very hard for the vote of illegals.
Each Democratic politician is working only in investigating President Trump and providing free stuff and citizenship to illegals.
Tell me again why Americans need Democrats?
6
@Dr. John: Just be patient until 2020 and you will get the answer to your question!
3
They can’t vote so that is a false claim.
3
Be glad to help.
It’s pretty simple: SOMEBODY has to remain pretty much attached to physical reality, and care more about America than lining their pockets and screaming at folks.
Glad I could help.
4
Why aren’t Mnuchin and the head of the IRS in jail? When is the house actually going to check this administration?
10
Because they are doing their job and not disclosing taxes that aren’t being used for legitimate legislative purposes. There is no law saying he has to disclose them.
The most transparent administration?
Really?
Who the— is he kidding?
8
The Fake President, hiding behind a Fake Audit, protected by his Fake Appointees, will hopefully be exposed for what he really is, by a Real Judge and by Real Congressmen and Congresswomen, all of which will be reported on by Real Journalists in our Real Newspapers.
9
"argued that Congress’s power to access those materials is inherently limited to information that would serve “legitimate” legislative purposes"
There are really two issues here: legitimate use, and who decides what is legitimate.
First, Congress really can't effectively argue its right to illegitimate use. There is no right to do a wrong.
Second, before Marbury v Madison, there was a long debate about how Congress and the President would settle disagreements such as what is and is not legitimate. That case settled that the Court decides.
Now we see both the President and Congress acting as if they have power to over ride the views of the other on what is required by the Constitution. We've settled that, 200 years ago. The Court decides.
Congress issues a subpoena, a District Court hears a motion to enforce and/or for a protective order, and the appellate court then the Supreme Court can review that. Then everyone will accept what the Court rules.
It most likely will be an order to enforce the subpoena with protective conditions, because it almost always works out that way.
Disputes over a subpoena and other discovery materials is not an uncommon problem. None of this should surprise anyone.
2
What we need to know far more than how little Trump pays in taxes is how much he owes in debts—and to whom. Is he in hock in the hundreds of millions to the Russians? The Saudis? After multiple bankruptcies and even lawsuits against his previous creditors, by all accounts nobody here in America would lend him a nickel. So who bailed him out? And just what are they exacting in payment?
13
It's obvious why some politicians don't want to disclose financial information. Effective immediately that law should be enacted for any public person from local all the way up to executive branch to have disclose all financial statements at least 1 year before running or applying for any job. Since Trump never worked an honest day in his life there would have to be a clause to make sure it applies to him and his family.
And while they are at it release all pension and perks that any person is entitled to.
10
@Prince of Whales
None of that would solve anything meaningful. Insider trading in "blind" trusts is where it's at, and insider trading is de-facto legal for both Congress, Senate and the Supreme Court members.
If you want to know what's really going on, the trusts and charity foundations is where it's at. It's not in the personal tax returns.
Actually, If you read Sec 26 U.S. Code § 6103 you would see that there are no restrictions imposed on Congressional Committees when requesting any citizen’s tax returns.
14
@Bombadil
Then maybe you should read it, because it does list restrictions. As a matter of fact it, it only lists the exceptions under which otherwise tax returns are required to stay secret.
There is no legislative purpose they can point to. They can, however, ask Mueller if he saw the tax returns and other financial info. He had the legal right to look at those, and did.
2
There is something seriously wrong when the administration refuses to obey laws and nothing meaningful can be done.
Trump should be in prison for it now.
17
@Grove
What law related to his tax returns compels him to comply with political harassment by Democrats?
1
There is no law saying he needs to disclose his taxes. Until there is a law saying this, it’s false for you to claim he is breaking the law.
1
If Democrats were serious, they’d just ask NY State for Trump’s returns. They would have them by the afternoon.
What a bunch of toothless, geriatric tigers.
I was assured that Pelosi could take on Trump. But based on Democrats’ performance, I’m not sure they can be bothered to get out of bed in the morning.
9
Dealing with Trump is so important to our do nothing Congress, that they've gone on another recess. When all else fails, just runaway. Nancy Pelosi is a bigger bag of wind than Donald Trump.
The dictatorship is just around the corner. We'll all get a preview of it on the Fourth.
1
The big question is, will seeing Trump's tax returns change anyone's mind? Perhaps 0.05% of the population?
The only thing that matter in all this - the only thing - is whether or not Trump goes to jail for it. Anything less is utterly meaningless.
3
@Chicago Guy
There's really no scenario under which we the people will get to see his tax returns. Congress might, but the law they seek to enforce requires only that the returns be produced to Congress, rather than made public.
1
How can the House win when Trump elected and Congress confirmed Barr as AG? Trump and McConnell decided on Barr because they realized he is two faced. Barr misled Congress and Congress wanted to believe in his honesty. As soon as Barr was confirmed he became the chameleon he is, showed his true color and became Trump's personal lawyer to defend him and do anything it takes to keep this "wanna be amoral dictator" in power. Barr, just like Trump, does not care about this country or the people in it only about Trump and the Republican party.
6
We’re fast on our way to a dictatorship and the sad thing is that Trump supporters want one.
12
@Sterlin
True, and those who want dictatorship accuse others of being un-American.
8
That’s ridiculous and obviously not true. It’s statements like these that turn off the moderates and independent to the close-minded Democrat party of today.
@Matt
The Republic Party would support Trump in his North Korean style dictatorship.
He has it on display regularly.
1
I could swear the NRA did its utmost to ensure states used the phrase “shall issue” when they passed their concealed carry laws, specifically to ensure there could be no discretion on the part of any potential future unfriendly administrations when it came to issuing permits. Passing “shall issue” was pretty much their main legislative agenda for the past two decades and was seen as guaranteeing concealed carry laws would be crystal clear and free from political interference from meddlesome anti-gun governors.
Now, apparently, “shall” no longer means “shall” to the GOP.
Color me shocked.
7
If only Democrats had this same level of zeal to tackle the illegal immigration and humanitarian crisis on our southern border...but then, again, it's self-serving to look the other way in the name of more voters and higher head counts in their 'sanctuary' cities for the upcoming census.
5
It’s ridiculous. The Dems these days don’t care about the average American. They are too busy with endless investigations, identity politics, and open boarder to care about you, me or anyone in the working class.
@Joe B.
Democrats have a monopoly on diluting the votes of existing citizens by importing millions of new future voters...all it takes is a generation or two, and voila, solid blue states into oblivion!
Money laundering, assistance from other international powers that affect not only the US, but Canada. Affects all of the North American base.
4
While I think that congress has the right to view Trumps taxes, mainly because he is hiding something. But I don't expect to find any criminal activity...because if the IRS had seen that they would have triggered the FBI to work the issue already.
It is important that Congress have overbite powers but I don't expect much criminal smoke or fire to be found.
This whole thing may play out to be to Trumps media benefit...nothing found...he is innocent!!!
2
He’s playing them like the fiddle. He hires CPA’s who have their careers on the line.
Can Bar please announce Trump’s tax fraud results a few days before the 2020 election to inform the undecided?
4
@Justvisitingthisplanet anybody who's leaning towards Trump will just be more likely to vote for him if they find out he successfully evaded taxes. They think people who don't pay their taxes are heroes.
4
Great. This epitomizes the mind set of the leftist demos. Problems with immigration, China, Iran, and this is what the house is concerned about. always voted demos not in 2020. This is a great example why- demos are pettiness and no imagination, no sense of priorities or leadership. Trump will be re-elected in 2020 because he has vision and keeps America great again.
.
5
@lieberma If he gets elected again, it will be because of: poor turnout by independents and democrats; help from the Russians; ignorance of some voters; half a billion spent on exaggerated campaign promises; a crisis he creates; an inflated economy.
17
@lieberma How is it pettiness to demand to see a president's tax returns? Shouldn't we know if the highest office in the land is really for the American people? Considering that every president for 40+ years before Trump freely released their returns, and Trump has fought tooth and nail to keep them concealed, don't we have a right to see them? Considering that Trump openly said he would not report if a foreign government gave him political information, how can he be trusted to not be compromised?
12
@Lieberma Hmmm why do I not believe you "always voted demos". But that you won't in 2020, I do believe.
7
"will be viewed by Congress and, ultimately, by the public"
This effectively admits that the returns are not sought for true oversight by the committees, but rather to release them to the public for the hoped for embarrassment of releasing the information supposed to be kept secret with a few limited exceptions.
If the courts see it as what this article describes, then the committees won't get the returns.
If the courts accept the premise of the committee demands, the courts may well impose a protective order on the enforcement of the subpoena, which would prohibit this political use by public release.
Sorry partisans, it isn't likely to work out for political use.
I am missing how having access or not having access to one individual's tax returns constitutes the ability for Congress to perform their oversight duties over the entire Treasury or IRS. Congress is not entitled to look at my tax returns as a citizen.
1
Actually, yeah they are. By request, or by subpoena. If no like, tough beans.
8
Uh, yes congress is allowed to look at your tax returns. It’s law.
7
@DC
Sorry, DC, but congress has the power to subpoena any citizen’s tax return for any reason they deem to be appropriate.
The authors of the constitution intended the House of Representatives to be the single most powerful entity within the federal structure. Their powers are sweeping and, in some cases, absolute.
I have no problem with congress reviewing my tax returns.
And I certainly want them to review the president’s.
9
There is only one salient reason why an elected official would attempt to hide their taxes and I believe most of us know just why that is.
This is long overdue.
32
Yes to excite his base. He’s playing the Dems like a fiddle.
If there were true American Patriots in the IRS then someone would have leaked Trump's returns by now. I do not know how difficult that would be but someone with a conscience and a sense of duty to Country must have access. Congress has a Constitutional right to these documents and have followed procedure to obtain them. The Administration is stonewalling. A leak would be justified, it would unquestionably be the right thing to do.
5
@arusso
There are whistleblower protections that specifically cover the release of tax returns.
Since no whistleblower has come forward, it stands to reason that there's nothing to blow the whistle on.
That’s not true of course. Congress does not have a right to these documents. There is no law saying he needs to disclose them. Congress is using a false pretext to say it is for “legitimate legislative purposes”.
Since when did they get rid of the clause in the Constitution stating that one of Congress's duties is to oversee the executive branch? Did Trump take an eraser to the document and obliterate it?
The American people elected a House of Representatives in 2018 in part to exercise control over the runaway lawlessness of the executive branch. Nobody is above the law. Do we have rule of law in this country, or rule by presidential fiat? It looks like Trumpublicans are trying to rip the Constitution to shreds in order to get totalitarian control over the entire country.
14
There is no such clause in the Constitution
3
@Allison Presidential fiat. The only question is will he defy court rulings given that the chances of him being successfully impeached are zero.
@Allison
The Constitution doesn't actually say that. Article I, section 8, which enumerates the powers of Congress, doesn't say anything about overseeing the executive branch. The closest Article I comes is section 1, which vests in Congress all legislative powers granted by the Constitution, and the last clause of section 8, which vests in Congress the power to make all laws necessary and proper to execute the powers of Congress and other government agencies. Arguably, oversight of the executive branch is implicit in these generally-worded clauses. ("Penumbra," anyone?)
1
As an independent contractor, I have to submit to a background check (including tax returns) every time, I sign with a new client. Why should it be any different for Mr. Trump? No one is above the law.
12
Then Congress needs to have a law to require presidential candidates to disclose their taxes. This law is not on the books now. The Democrats are trying to use a false pretext to get his returns.
Something tells me that Trump knows he has a 5-4 advantage in the SCOTUS and he wants to be impeached in an election year, knowing the Senate won’t convict. There is no other explanation for the blatant defiance of Congressional oversight.
3
What I don't understand about the demand by the administration that every request for sensitive documents have a "legislative purpose" is this: Congress doesn't only write laws, it performs oversight.
Knowing what the world knows, Congressional oversight of the President's tax returns is necessary to determine if he's beholden to foreign powers through significant debt.
I also don't understand why Neal et al didn't argue that there is "legislative purpose": to craft laws that ensure no president ever again can shield his income sources in order to win the presidency.
To me, this is a slam dunk, and I also agree the Democrats are operating like snails in their oversight endeavors.
6
I would much prefer that the House focus its efforts on making sure the Census moves forward on schedule without the citizenship schedule, on beginning an impeachment inquiry, and on making the 2020 election secure from foreign hacking. At the moment, Democrats are sending the message that Trump, Barr, et all are not subject to the rule of law, and that they are powerless to stop the frontal assault on our republic.
Dems are losing the battle against the clock. Soon half the congressional session will be over and the obstruction by the executive branch continues unabated.
So many comments to articles such as this one contain warnings. Warnings that congressional investigations are a waste of time. Warnings that impeachment would lead to political disaster. Warnings not to avoid making Trump a “victim.”
Warnings and more warnings — all pointing to a Trump victory in 2020.
“Don’t do anything. It’s all too risky.”
Are these dire predictions coming from concerned Democrats or are they written by Trumpists trying to sow fear and indecision?
I suspect the correct answer is B.
3
In politics, political opponents are considered 'guilty' . . . even if proven innocent.
We complain about the relatively 'one-party- rule in China. We differ in one important way: Winning party's want to annihilate the opposition.
A very sad culture of binary-minded individuals in a country that has everything going for it.
2
Trump himself has indicated a couple times that he has not truly given up his personal, ongoing interest in his businesses. We need all the information we can get to determine whether he is in violation of the law. We cannot allow the holder of the highest authority position in the country to ignore our laws; the President must set an example of respect for the country if the country is to respect him.
4
How long does an audit take? (Not that I think an audit is a reason for a President not to release returns.) I was audited twice (both times they came out in my favor), and my appeal was completed immediately following a visit to an IRS office. Granted, I'm certainly not a millionaire with convoluted ways to avoid paying taxes, but an audit that takes over three years seems ridiculous.
3
@Linda My boyfriend was an auditor. He laughed when Trump said that. Trump would have to release his returns for loans, mortgages, etc. So Trump is lying through his teeth. What a surprise!
2
if you really believe he's being audited for all these years then I have a bridge to sell you. not to mention, of he really is being audited so frequently and deeply, we should really be asking ourselves why. because, to me, it would indicate the IRS has flagged him as some kind of scammer.
1
Democrats are doing this 3 years too late. Trump was known for tax evasion in the 1970's so as soon as he refused to release them after taking office a lawsuit should have been ready to go.
NYC should had gone after him and his oldman decades ago.
Now this won't get settled before November 3 2020.
Politicians and their snail pace bureaucracy need to be changed completely now but I won't hold my breath.
3
The only President we've ever had who appears beholden to a hostile foreign power is also the first modern President to withhold his tax returns. Coincidence?
Maybe someday we'll find out what the Russian oligarchs have on Moscow Don.
9
Remember SCOTUS and gerrymandering? Not our problem!! Why not the same here? This will mean that the executive can effectively ignore any law since it is the branch that enforces them. And even if the courts side with Congress, who sees that verdict gets carried out? Hello Imperial Presidency!
1
I have a question for the conspiracy mongers who think that there is a "deep state" and/or that Mueller, Comey, and other Republicans in or formerly in law enforcement are part of some treasonous conspiracy to attack poor Donald Trump.
If any of that is true, why hasn't anyone in government leaked the tax returns? Trump has ordered his administration to violate the law by refusing to turn them over, so he's afraid of something. Why haven't the "deep state" and the giant conspiracy of law enforcement just mailed them to the NYTs already?
2
Maybe, like Capone, tax evasion will be the means to “get” Trump.
5
It's way past due to see what the vile rascal trump has been up to.
It's got to be nasty seeing how hard he is fighting to keep his tax returns secret.
I am betting it will show some Russian entanglements with his finances...Putin owns trump 100%.
Another reason - as if we needed one - to vote trump and his Republican Senators (who kiss his behind) out of office!
2
This "don" must have much to hide! It was easier to investigate Al Capone for income tax evasion! How can anyone justify a public official (for that's what he is) hiding his financial information from the public? The POTUS has been acting like a criminal, but a criminal who has the highest law enforcement agency in the country hiding, aiding, and abetting his criminal activities. He dishonors the Department of Justice, the Courts and the U.S. Congress/Senate in his criminal conspiracies! Republicans who once stood for "family values" and the "rule of law," have declared war on decent, law-abiding, Americans who are demanding justice! Trump and his crime family must be brought to Justice!
5
What is DJT hiding? What fraud would be revealed from the release of his taxes?
3
Whatever happened to "I have nothing to hide?"
3
Just one of thousands and thousands of lies.
2
Congressional oversight of the executive branch is vital to maintaining a functioning democracy but absolutely meaningless if the executive branch can simply refuse to comply. The United States Constitution clearly gives congress the power of oversight, and this administration along with Republican members of congress are clearly violating their oath of office. Americans: We can’t wait for someone (Mueller, the courts, the press, congress) to save us. We have to do it ourselves. It’s way past time for us to take to the streets en masse and stay in the streets to remind our elected officials that they work for us and to demand that they fully comply with all congressional investigations.
371
@Diane Martin: I wholeheartedly agree, but with four kids, a sick wife, bills, and the three jobs I have to scrape through life, I truly wonder when I and most other Americans will have time to protest.
32
@Isaac That is a feature as far as taking up your time so you cannot protest but it is vital. What I see in Hong Kong makes me happy, they are acting on what they believe and that is what the streets should look like all over this country. Its shameful that they are not.
29
I understand - easier said than done. At the least, call your representatives every day. That’s quick and easy. Get all of your friends to call, too. This is critical in red states like Indiana. And vote in 2020.
34
Mueller must have subpoenaed them and turned them over the the SDNY. I don’t want to see them. I barely understand my own, but I would hope that somebody who knows what they’re looking at has gone over every page. Would be helpful to hear what they reveal, except, if/when the information becomes available, it will no doubt be in a closed hearing, which is another problem, isn’t it?
2
The Democrats reasons are pretextual: they don’t have a legitimate legislative purpose to see his returns and they know it. I think this will go to the Supreme Court and they will side with Trump like the sides with the Dems on the census question.
If Congress wants presidential returns public, they need to create a bill and have that bill passed to become law.
1
The law actually says that “legislative purpose,” is very broadly understood, and in practice could mean virtually anything.
https://fas.org/sgp/crs/secrecy/LSB10275.pdf
It certainly extends to Congress’ responsibility to find out if the President is a crook who’s profiting by his office, or is financially beholden to entangled with foreign governments.
You know as well as I do that Teump’s legal “case,” is bogus, a stalling tactic and no more.
Lol, any attempt to by Congress to rein in Trump’s bad behaviors is summarily blocked by McConnell. He is not interested in legislating anything that might hurt the GOP. The GOP is intricately entwined with Trump. No thought Is given to the bad precedents set by allowing these things to go on.
@ Matt - I expect you’ll eat your words when the court rules otherwise.
Trump et al. are plainly, unambiguously breaking the law.
Too bad we lack timely enforcement and remedial actions.
1
Other than claiming privacy, what reasons are there for his refusal to provide his tax returns?
He can't claim precedent since other presidents have done so.
He should release the returns to show that he has nothing to hide. This would put an end to the speculation and he could say "I told you so."
One is left only to surmise that release would make him look bad by showing he is not as wealthy as he claims or would open him up to fraud investigations. But there are already investigations in progress.
An honest man would simply have released them years ago. Why subject himself to this continued scrutiny?
19
Because it riles up his base. It shows that the Democrats have nothing to do but constantly attack and harass him. There is no law saying he has to release his returns. So unless Congress makes a bill and passes it, he has every right to keep it private.
1
Alleging House Democrats are "spending (wasting) all this time" on compelling the release of DJT's tax returns is not much of a defense because the allegation simply is incorrect. The entire release effort is under the jurisdiction one House committee meanwhile other committees continue working on legislation on protecting elections, the budget and other matters of governance. Granted each step in the effort to compel the release of tax return is widely covered by the press but the time and effort are neither disproportionate to the House's responsibilities or activities nor a waste of time because DJT and his supporters claim it to be so.
7
I have a naive, good faith question to ask: if Trump did something illegal and reported it on his income tax, isn’t the IRA obligated to report it?
2
That is not a naive question. The IRS does have that authority. That’s why this whole conversation is a distraction. The Democrats are playing right into Trump’s hand. It’s a bluff. He has nothing important to hide. This helps him energize his base and show that Democrats and media will go at any length to try and take him down.
1
They can sue but they won't necessarily prevail. As we've learned actions fueled purely by Trump animus don't stand the test of time all that well.
1
@AACNY This action is not "fueled purely by Trump animus", but you can keep telling yourself that if it allows you to remain delusional.
1
Good luck. With the radically conservative loons Trump and Mitch the Stitch have loaded the federal court circuits with. Now that they legalized gerrymandering except it to become a kangaroo court we’ve seen in 3rd world countries and satires. As always the democrats also taken over by extremists and radicals will be a day late and a dollar short. Big on excuses and short on results. As a divided party they will only conquer themselves.
Given Trump's penchant for lying and Congress's responsibility to provide oversight of the Executive Branch, these tax records should be turned over to the committees that requested them.
Trump and his administration act more and more like a dictatorship with each passing day. We see this not only in Trump's stonewalling of Congress but also in the way he wants an Independence Day celebration about military might rather than freedom. We MUST stop him.
8
It is stunning that a Congressional investigation can successfully be stone-walled like this. This is happening because we have a dishonorable President who has surrounded himself with dishonorable people and a Democratic House of Representatives that cannot be certain their understanding of the Constitution will be upheld, thanks to a stacked court. What a mess.
11
I am so amazed that his approval remains where it has always been! Oh, I will release my taxes, soon as this audit is done. And he is running again and they will still buy it! Have they not been paying attention? You can bet his opponent on any debate stage will have released thiers.
6
Should have been done IMMEDIATELY after munchkin denied House request. What were they waiting for?
4
There are far many more important issues facing congress - immigrant detention/concentration camps, Iran, the Near East, N. Korea, pollution, domestic poverty, campaign contributions - than Trump's tax returns.
Does he cheat on his returns? Probably. Has he had years where he paid no taxes? Possibly. Are Russian investments/deductions there? Maybe.
So he's a liar and a crook. Zowie, big news. Dog bites man. Let 2020 confront this. See if the voters care.
2
It's unbelievable how people are obsessed about somehow 'getting' Trump. Focus on 2020! this just plays into his hands. Don't the democrats have any ideas whatsoever other than going after Trump and open borders??
3
They are playing right into his hands. He knows there is nothing of import in his returns. He hired accountants and these accountants have CPA licenses and insurance. You think there is something to see there? They are all falling for it.
1
My Grandmother can move faster than Congress and our courts,
and she is dead.
4
Since the GOP thinks cage camps are fit for children and babies, then Mnuchin and other Trump administration officials should be held there until they comply with the law and produce Trump's tax returns.
4
I truly hope that the Trump era will precipitate a host of new requirements for those who endeavor to hold a public office, especially that of the President of the most powerful nation in the world (though it is hard to tell if we are actually that powerful in 2019).
Too long, we have relied upon tradition and decency to govern the actions of those elected to public office. The degenerate behavior of Trump and his allies has shown that that can no longer occur.
Going forward, we need to REQUIRE to see financial documents. Not ask politely. We need to REQUIRE that you don't have any allegations of sexual misconduct, not hope and pray that 22+ women are all shameless liars who want money. We need to REQUIRE that anyone who plans to hold public office is absolutely disgusted at the though of racism, xenophobia, misogyny, and literal concentration camps.
It is no longer enough to expect people to be good people.
7
I doubt his tax returns would bring anything new to the table. Trump is working very hard to make the Trump family our forever leaders. Unfortunately, there are citizens who believe that would be just "peachy keen." Fighting ignorance is tough...there is no way ignorant people can be shown their error...they are just too stupid to see. Then there are those who know what trash the Trumps really are, but who enjoy the good fortune he's bringing them right now. I was born before FDR became President...I'm not at all sure our country will survive the mess we are in. I guess I'll never know, though. Good luck, USA...and the World.
2
What's wrong with requesting Trump's NY state returns?
2
Impeach the guy already. This is how he grifts: do something disgusting, either he sues or is sued, drag it into the court for years=he gets what he wants.
Pelosi says we would be playing into Trump's hands if she starts impeachment. She is wrong.
7
The House should file the following lawsuits against the criminal Trump Administration:
1. Crimes against migrant people for cruelty, neglect and abuse; other border abuses;
2. Violation of emoluments rules;
3. Nepotism violations;
4. Security clearances for his family;
Dismantling of any number of agencies: EPA, USDA, to name a few.
C’mon, House, do your job to the fullest extent of the law. And impeach.
7
The American voters are sick and tired of the Democrats hate for Trump. They were elected to serve their districts, not waste time chasing windmills. Trump is making America great again while Democrats are calling for more illegals and free health care for them as well.
Keep it up. Trump will win again 2020.
2
If “the American people” are supposedly so sick of his alleged mistreatment then why is he the most historically unpopular president in modern history, and without ever having majority approval?
His followers’ need to protect him from accountability for his crimes, at the expense of the country, is pathological and sad.
9
Re: "...escalating a fight with an administration that has repeatedly dismissed as illegitimate the Democrats’ attempt to obtain Mr. Trump’s financial records..."
It would appear that D.J. Trump's tax info / records is the ONLY portion of his life where the president is NOT following the bombastic, 'brag, w/o pause', ('public speaking'), habits he employs in the rest of his existence!
...what's he hiding??
3
Even if successful, this will only affirm that Trump pays little or no taxes—a common ploy which he has already acknowledge as smart business accounting.
Perhaps a more revealing approach would be to identify purchasers of his Trump Tower and other properties using readily accessible NYC public records.
It would be interesting to note the number of offshore shell corporations residing at that address, who pays the taxes on those units, and any other noteworthy trends.
246
@Misterbianco It could also uncover things he's done overseas, though.
14
@Misterbianco
A common but illegal ploy. Smart business? I call it grifting and shorting the American people. I call it dishonest. Why not go after the perpetrator first? Excuses, excuses for Donald Trump. Why is that? Isn't he subject to the same laws as the rest of us?
22
@Misterbianco Until we see the tax returns, we have no way of knowing what they will reveal. Artfully arranging to declare false losses and avoid paying taxes is a crime. Income tax evasion became a real thorn in the side of Al Capone. We already know Trump has not effectively removed himself from the operation of his businesses, and there are a lot of reasons to suspect Trump has violated the emoluments clause. Additionally, there is always a wealth of discrete information in tax returns that a trained eye will be able to assess in a meaningful way, and determine what, if any, additional information is needed to address any possible inconsistencies.
23
Michael Cohen, Mr. Trump's former personal attorney, swore under oath in Congress that his client had engaged in Bank fraud by simultaneously devaluing assets for tax purposes while inflating the same asset's value as collateral for loans. Citing his testimony in this court filing should be reason enough for Congress to pursue his financial records. If the legislation that Mr. Neal is seeking to enforce was predicated upon the Teapot Dome Scandal, this president's actions are likely to be far worse.
32
I am not a lawyer, but, as much as I would like Trump to release his returns, doing so, from what I understand, is not mandated by law per se. It therefore seems to me like this lawsuit has the potential to be a distraction from other things Democrats could be pursuing that will "pay off" better in terms of turning up wrong doing by Trump and his associates.
3
@Jeff
Not mandated by law, and just another wild goose chase. Democrats must know they'll lose to Trump and are trying to inflict as much damage as they can to prevent the nasty backlash they may face after losing to him again.
2
Here is the statute:
Committee on Ways and Means, Committee on Finance, and Joint Committee on Taxation
Upon written request from the chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives, the chairman of the Committee on Finance of the Senate, or the chairman of the Joint Committee on Taxation, the Secretary shall furnish such committee with any return or return information specified in such request, except that any return or return information which can be associated with, or otherwise identify, directly or indirectly, a particular taxpayer shall be furnished to such committee only when sitting in closed executive session unless such taxpayer otherwise consents in writing to such disclosure.
3
The only way Democrats will win over the public in 2020 is if they can convince people that the government can actually carry the responsibility that the majority of their presidential candidates apparently believe the government should have over people's lives.
This is the primary reason the Republicans have done everything in their power to make government unable to function effectively for the majority of people, because controlling systems of power is more important to them.
By continually ceding this philosophy (small, slow, ineffectual federal government) to Republicans, the Democrats have twice failed to maintain political power after a Democratic president, first Clinton, then Obama.
Now, everything the Democratically controlled House does that fails to demonstrate the power and strength of the government to protect people and hold corrupt parties accountable only further ensures a defeat of Democrats in 2020.
3
This whole affair is a reminder that the only part of the Constitution is that the GOP considers mandatory is the Second Amendment. The rest is optional.
26
I wasn’t aware the constitution contained a provision requiring the release of tax returns and financial records?
2
Herein lies the reason why Trump and his Colleagues in Congress are "Packing the Courts". It's a strategy of Legislating from the Bench.
9
@SHAKINSPEAR
Additionally, I'm convinced a military coup conspiracy is and has occurred over the last years and the Courts are packed to allow it. It's not just a move to initiate marshal law. We need absolute security from the independent press, not Television, to assure the voting counts are not manipulated between the polling places, and wherever they go and beyond. I do not trust the voting reports from the government complicit Television industry. Consider the history around that.
1
...."A ruling by a federal court on the merits of the recurring dispute could shift the balance of power between the two branches and impact the authority of Congress to conduct oversight over not just Mr. Trump but presidents for years to come."
including you and me. is this ok with you?
2
Trump's tax returns only have political value to Dems if the documents reveal unsavory dealings. By refusing to divest from his businesses, and by engaging in shady business practices throughout his life, Trump has created a situation where oversight and investigation are required for the sake of the country. If Trump were clean, there would no reason to obstruct this investigation. He's not clean, which is why he thought the Mueller investigation meant the end of his Presidency.
8
It's my understanding that those who seek a position within US Intelligence routinely have to disclose their tax returns in order to receive a security clearance. The POTUS (any POTUS) should be required to do the same and more. Though we know how Trump and Co. feel about handing security clearances to those who can't pass a background check.
5
I am saddened and a bit worried by the lack of education exhibited is some of the posts that paint this as the House being political about this.
There is more than enough evidence that DJT is hiding and obstructing access to criminal activities. Just two that are beyond doubt and question:
1. DJT has publicly admitted and promoted that legally executed subpoenas should be ignored
2. The Mueller report stated in writing if DJT could be cleared of wrongdoing regarding obstruction- he would have been. He wasn’t!
So some may see this as political but the House has a constitutional obligation to investigate bad things.
It’s time to stop blaming the House because DJT does bad things!
10
When Trumputin declared his personal and business finances a "red line" that Mueller or investigations by Congress should not cross, he was admitting that he had something to hide. That something should prove to be his undoing.
Remember that the notorious gangster, Al Capone, was ultimately convicted not of his many murders, thefts, and extortions, but of tax evasion. Certainly, Donald's warning not to go there compels investigators to do just that.
6
"That outcome, though, could take months or years — a reality certain to frustrate liberals" ... I see a lot of "liberals" this and "liberals" that in this article. Too bad it's only "liberals" according to this article who are interested in finding out if the President of this country is compromised. Apparently conservatives couldn't care less.
6
It’s about time. Maybe we’ll finally get to see who owns the Trumps.
9
Remember Democrats, liberals and progressives: What goes around, comes around. Those who support Trump will be the first to demand every detail about the personal and financial background of the next Democrat in White House. You reap what you sow, and you have sown a lot of hate and vindictiveness ever since Trump was duly elected.
4
@paul - Big deal. Democrats are already releasing that information voluntarily.
If any Democrat tries to get away with half of what Trump has pulled I want to know about it and I want them held to account.
1
@paul
And the next Democrat in the White House would have voluntarily released tax returns before the election.
To no matter, the next Dem president will have nothing to hide.
Yet, birtherism targeted at Obama is still being discussed by some Republicans.
It should be required for anyone running for office to release their returns for the 10 years prior to running, for every year they are in office, and for a decade after they leave office.
Corruption in government is the cancer that is killing us all. If it were not for these conflicts of interest we would have no climate crisis, no immigration crisis, and no opiod crisis. We would have universal background checks, gun registration, and the ability to take guns away from lunatics before they start murdering people. We would have great public schools and universities with plenty of funding. We would have a $20 per hour minimum wage, a 4 day work week, and universal health care. We would have an 18-week cut off for elective abortions, and exception to the rule after that for the health of the woman, rape, incest, terminal or severely disabling conditions of the fetus.
All of those things are widely popular, but are not done because right-wing politicians are corrupt and in the service of industries or other special interests.
We would also have no more right-wing politicians. They can't get elected without corruption.
7
It's pretty simple: if there's nothing to hide, why hide it?
6
The insane levels of corruption and criminality in government and large corporations will ruin America--and the indifference shown by the voters is frightening. The people who work and pay their fair share of taxes should put down their cell phones and hit the streets with massive demonstrations, blocking every business associated with Trump and the crooks in DC.
5
Trump is running the clock in the courts and it's not because he is now the president. He has done this his entire life. This is another way how the rich get advantage over the rest; they just pay their lawyers a lot of money to wear down the plaintiffs money-wise, time-wise and energy-wise.
8
So what is Trump afraid of? What is Trump hiding? Why does Trump pick family members to work for him rather than competent people who would know what to do? Trump, the man who would be King.
6
I don't quite understand the reluctance to hold Barr and Mnuchin in contempt of Congress. Did they comply with a Congressional subpoena? No. Duh, they're in contempt. Trump better hope he gets re-elected, because his troubles post-Presidential are far from over...he's opened himself and his "company" to countless legally shady practices and deals in his quest for the "ultimate prize". There's a reason the Mafia doesn't run for office directly, and Trump didn't read the memo--it was longer than 140 characters.
8
Nixon declared, "I'm not a crook." Trump doesn't even he have the nerve to say it.
9
Finally.
My dear Dad was randomly audited the last year he was alive Battling a fatal Cancer and already disabled, he obliged the IRS like the good honest retired citizen he was. Trump could only dream of being as dutiful and honest as my father.
7
@Marshall
Trump has certainly had his share of audits, which is why these charges ring hollow.
1
@Marshall
"...he obliged the IRS like the good honest retired citizen he was."
But here, the IRS has not asked for his tax returns.
Since Trump's tax returns have no relevance now that the 2-year long investigation into everyone he knows came up shooting blanks, why is this even necessary to poke through his finances? Do the Dems hope to find that he's NOT a billionaire as claimed? If so - then it's hardly necessary to waste time and my tax dollars.
I voted for Trump, so I'm being led to believe that these useless dignitaries will eventually require my tax returns too. After all, perhaps one of the millions of us who voted for the POTUS could be found to have been used as a pass-through for some Russian rubles. Not sure how my local bank would treat such a transaction, but this entire situation is getting to be ridiculous!
3
We have a right to know what our POTUS is up to financially. There is too much of a chance that a president, particularly Trump will use his power for personal financial gain. What his previous dealings were before he became POTUS can say a lot about what his actions are in the present, i.e., Russia-Trump Tower Moscow. I would guess since Trump could not secure a loan from any U.S. banking institution that he has borrowed money through Deutsche Bank from Russian oligarchs with close ties to Putin. That is a serious problem that affects any decision on U.S. national security. Get his tax returns! What is he hiding?
346
@sunburst68
Why Trump went to Washington? to make money. Not for public service.
why his daughter & son-in-law went to Washington? To make more money. Not for public service.
47
I don't understand why none of the congressional committees have requested Trump's tax returns from NY state. Surely they would have much (if not all) of the information they are seeking.
6
One quasi-legal concept that is seldom mentioned is the fundamental notion of "good faith," which to me is a simple question of whether participants are behaving honorably or with nefarious intent. Is the goal to find the truth, or to achieve a favorable outcome? Which has the priority?
This begs several questions:
1. Is the executive branch operating in "good faith" in determining how to proceed, or are they doing what many accuse them of doing, which is using every legal trick & maneuver possible to tie the matters up in court indefinitely? This question is significant, given Trump's history of doing exactly that in what is said to be an extensive history of cheating subcontractors and others.
2. Are House committee chairs operating in "good faith" when seeking testimony and documentation, or are they engaging in a partisan scavenger hunt, hoping to find and expose any and all possible tidbits of information that can be used to embarrass or end the Trump presidency? This question, too, has merit, since there is ample historical evidence of committee chairs doing exactly that.
Bottom line is a simple question: are these people playing fair, or playing politics? Is the goal to win power, or to find the truth? Obviously our personal perspectives will heavily influence our answers - and that is perhaps the biggest challenge we face as a nation.
83
@TL Mischler
Best comment so far. I can’t help but think the House’s reliance on process and refusal to take any particularly dramatic action is indicative that a large part of their motivation is merely political.
That said, it’s very likely Trump is refusing to cooperate as part of a pattern of behavior designed to diminish the implied authority of the House. I’m guessing he’s not hiding outright or obviously illegal behavior but probably is hiding information which diminishes his “billionaire successful businessman” image and which may in fact cause him to appear much less successful.
Overall I don’t think either the House or Trump is really acting completely in good faith. The problem would appear to be that the entire system starts to look compromised and ineffective.
7
@TL Mischler Here’s another concept: just apply what the law actually says. The law, by Constitution, statute, and precedent, says Congress has the power of subpoena and oversight. This isn’t new. Hillary Clinton showed up to testify and produced her emails. Obama’s State Department produces documents during the ridiculous “Benghazi” sideshow. Where were you with this philosophical musing about “good faith” back then?
And does Trump have the power of hypnosis? Why have people forgotten Michael Cohen testifying to Trump acting as co-conspirator in breaking federal election finance laws? This is on top of evidence suggesting members of Trump campaign have been in contact with Russian intelligence? Pleading guilty to being undisclosed foreign agent. Perhaps tax returns may be relevant?
68
@TL Mischler:
yes, we should consider motivations
on either side of the divide.
yet, all power struggles aside,
i am mostly curious to know:
is the nation victim of large-scale corruption, tax evasion,
i.e. theft, committed by its potus [and his close relatives]?
34
Follow the money. Trump will go to NY State prison.
18
IMPEACH Barr and Mnuchin NOW! Why wait? Stiffen your Congressional backbones, stop talking and DO YOUR JOBS!
US Citizens paid for the Tax and Mueller Probe information, in addition to your salaries! Do your job and determine if trump is legal or illegal. It is just that simple.
To the Media: Stop giving trump and the republicans a pass. Tell the true facts and NOT your opinions. You biases cloud the issues.
14
And when you see the US military tanks travelling down the National Mall in Washington DC on Thursday, July 4, 2019 on the orders of Donald Trump- the bone-spurs Vietnam draft dodging coward - and the falsely elected President of the United States of America with a big assist from Russia who will not - who lied and assured the American public that once his tax audit was completed - he would turn over his tax returns, and negotiates trade agreements at the G20 meeting with his "political advisors" daughter, Ivanka and son-in-law, Jared, at his side - all at taxpayer expense - take a moment to reflect on how far from our Constitutional democracy and its governing principals of freedom, liberty and justice for all have been so deeply compromised with this hideously vacuous liar occupying the Oval Office. Wake up America!
46
Michael Cohen is in jail right now for helping Donald Trump to win US Presidency. Illegitimate Presidency. Laughingstock to the WORLD.
17
Oh Pelosi will surely show them, won't she? A law suit. Tie it up in the courts...forever... so she can move on and win the 2020 election? She of course will never file contempt, which could lead to, (oh dear, can we say it?) arrest. Oh dear no. These are white, rich Washington elites. Why, she's in some of their clubs.... Oh sure there is pressure to treat them like the rest of the unwashed masses she has to appeal to, but she has the answer all polished and ready if she is asked why she cannot just file contempt. She giggles a bit and says, well, we could ummm fine them I suppose or something. Then she will say, "They want to be arrested. They want impeachment inquiry, they want contempt." That will satisfy the "masses" who will do the opposite of whatever "they" want. In the mean time, she will.. ummm.. legislate--that is to say she will send bills for McConnell's trash can.
The ambivalence so apparent in dilatory inactivity suggests reticence about taxes in congress itself. Washington has become corrupt. All know this.
Perhaps all in government should open up.
I trust everyone. But cut the cards,
Mr. T. You lie. Let’s see how you really lie.
Mark Swain?
1
Why did this take so long?
5
More fodder for the Trump campaign.
The Democrats should try helping the American worker - instead of focusing only on investigating Trump and providing more and more free stuff to illegals.
5
I do not lke or support Donald Trump. But why is it that the NYT only chooses articles for comment that are clearly critical of the right?
Don’t believe me? Try finding reader commentary on the NYT article regarding Nike’s decision to pull sneakers featuring the Betsy Ross flag at the behest of Colin Kaepernick.
The NYT is aware that Indepence Day is two days away or did the left stop celebrating that too?
2
Investigating tax cheats can have deadly consequences.
Take for example the Panama Papers and the Paradise Papers. Both revealed a small bit of information about how the rich and powerful around the world shelter wealth in secret off-shore accounts and avoid hundreds of billions of dollars in taxes.
Where's the follow-up on all those tax cheats?
One reporter in Malta (a favorite haven for tax cheats) was killed by a car bomb for investigating the Panama Papers.
It is time to turn the tables on tax cheats. Everywhere.
10
Mr. Mnuchin seems to be saying that the administration doesn't have to follow *this* law because it believes committee members will break another, completely unrelated law (making this information public).
Logic-proof GOP thinking, and inconsistent, too.
A popular refrain among the people who elected Mr. Trump is that their tax dollars shouldn't go to freeloaders. To further that philosophy, they've instituted drug tests for SNAP and unemployment benefits, as well as onerous job search requirements, despite administration costs that offset any savings. Under the guise of spending our tax dollars wisely, the GOP has spearheaded many other policies, large and small, that marginalize large swathes of the U.S. population.
How much government money are they letting Mr. Trump waste to postpone the reckoning for the taxes he may owe from his private life?
11
@Grennan
If he owed them any significant sums, Trump and/or his company would have been revealed in the Panama papers leak. They were not.
The IRS has already prosecuted some US entities revealed in the Panama papers, and are going after the others who refused to voluntarily come forward.
"Logic-proof" thinking dictates that his tax returns contain incriminating information. This was the same hype placed upon Mueller's shoulders, and that didn't pan out too well in solidifying support.
The likeliest thingy you're going to get is that Trump is far poorer than he claims, and that he's not a very good businessman. The former is not a crime. The latter is already a matter of public record.
@Viv
I said "may" owe. The Panama papers would not show anything about the long-standing questions about his parents' estates--their appraisals and resulting estate tax.
The penalties for undervaluing those would be 25 per cent of the estates' real value, with interest.
2
@Grennan
How do you know what the Panama papers would show?
If he's hiding his parents' estates money, he would do it overseas in a secret bank account - the sort of bank accounts revealed in the Panama papers. This is what people who want to hide assets do.
They don't undervalue assets and keep them stateside precisely because it's very easy to disprove a bogus valuation and get caught easily.
The mental gymnastics you people go through is beyond ridiculous.
Go ahead and waste more time chasing your tail. All that's done so far is make his approval ratings go up and validate his claim that you're out to get him because Mueller didn't deliver.
1
I don’t think that’s such a good move on the part of the Democrats since the severe right wing renegade justices on the court will do everything to defend their party’s misdeeds.
They should start to incarcerate perpetrators using the capital police, instead.
7
The law, quoted below, says absolutely NOTHING about legislative purposes. The Ways and Means Committee can request a return for any or no reason and IRS shall, must, supply it.
(f) Disclosure to Committees of Congress
(1) Committee on Ways and Means, Committee on Finance, and Joint Committee on Taxation
Upon written request from the chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives, the chairman of the Committee on Finance of the Senate, or the chairman of the Joint Committee on Taxation, the Secretary shall furnish such committee with any return or return information specified in such request, except that any return or return information which can be associated with, or otherwise identify, directly or indirectly, a particular taxpayer shall be furnished to such committee only when sitting in closed executive session unless such taxpayer otherwise consents in writing to such disclosure.
7
In overseeing a potus whom history is likely to record as our most lawless and corrupt, House Dems have been stunningly feckless. Given all the harm that 45 has done and certainly will continue to do, I had expected Dems to act with alacrity once in the majority. Instead, they act as if they can reason and negotiate with this WH. 45 is playing them like a grand piano. At this rate, he will have stacked all of the federal courts with his appointees, who will back his play in the law suits filed by Congress. When will Congressional Dems learn that TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE when dealing with a would-be tyrant, who is undermining our democracy at breakneck speed?
5
Why are they wasting their time on this? To what end? What will it prove other than DT probably paid fee taxes because of loopholes.
More likely it’s all to do with more Media “gotchaaaaaa!” sensationalism and throwing a little red meat to the baying crowd.
In reality it’s all become a little immature now. We have real issues to solve. The time down Trump (as you put it) will be 2020, but that’s looking a longer shot by the day, because instead of campaigning on real issues all we hear is this nonsense coming out of congress.
2
In watching the White House fight subpoenas and calls for testimony on the grounds of being illegitimate, I wonder if I could do the same thing should I ever be subpoenaed.... Perhaps individuals charged with felonies will start ignoring legal requests on the grounds the criminal justice system is just trying to improve their performance numbers.
5
LOL
good show.
The House has not been able to make stick one resolution they passed.
It's all for show for the voters.
2
It is bad enough that the Trump Organisation is (as described by Steve Bannon) a criminal enterprise. It now appears that the Trump administration is a criminal enterprise too.
6
Sounds like the Democrats are punting yet again. At this rate the tax issue and the rest of Trump's treasonous activities will be resolved around 2030.
3
Dear New York Times’ Editors and Reporters,
Please conduct an accounting of the number of hours Department of Justice staff have worked on behalf of Trump. Provide the names, job titles, and annual salaries of those staff members. Please add the number of court cases and their jurisdictions as well as the costs of those cases.
It must be a staggering amount and, as usual, paid for by us, the American taxpayers. We are paying to protect this ignorant and ignoble conman.
10
The body politic has a immune system, these lawsuits are the phagocytes against this infection of America.
Does any reasonable person believe that a president, any president, or a presidential administration has, the right to define or delimit the rights or powers of congress?
These are set in the US constitution.
The US Constitution sets the congress above presidents in that congress has the right to tell the president, after due process, "you're fired".
26
It seems that his tax returns should have been released prior to the most recent GOP tax law. We know that former GOP Senator Bob Corker lined his own pockets with the tax law. The public should know how much Trump benefited from this law and how much he stands to benefit or lose from any future changes to tax law.
11
We need a law requiring all presidential candidates to release their tax returns. We need to know if they have been cheating on their taxes, and we need to know what their conflicts of interest are (their sources of income and financial obligations). We've assumed that presidential candidates would be honest enough and decent enough to be open with the public, but we now have a president who is neither honest nor decent and is clearly hiding something from us . . . possibly obligations to foreign powers, considering how he bows down to dictators. We can no longer leave this up to trust. Now that Trump has cheated us, others will follow his dishonest example. We've got to protect ourselves, and any member of the legislative branch who won't help us must be thrown out of office.
13
The problem with relying on the courts is that the Republicans have already effectively delegitimized the highest court and are currently well in to the process of delegitimizing the entire branch. Under the minority rule that we have, the rule of law doesn't truly exist and it's unlikely that democracy will ever return to America.
9
So when the dust settles and Congress gets its way we'll know Trump lied about his wealth, played every possible loophole for everything its worth and likely paid less in taxes than his average MAGA constituent.
WOW ... what a surprise. Then the Dems will cry foul and Trump & CO will demand further digging into Hillary's emails.
And the constitutional power struggle goes on
4
@Greg
The real bombshell is probably how accurately his parents' estates were valued, and therefore (if not) whether Mr. Trump would have anything left after he and siblings paid the penalties and interest--25 per cent of the real value of their estates, before any additional tax would be figured.
I like the 4th Amendment. The relationship between the IRS and the tax payer needs to be here. If the IRS see no false information or violation of the tax code then Congress must leave it alone. We shouldn't deminish the rights of the American people simply because we dislike one person.
2
@Mark Lindsey Yeah, except we have that little thing in the Constitution called the Emoluments Clause which applies specifically to the President of the United States. As President, he is no longer a private citizen...he is an office-holder of the highest magnitude with broad powers and authority. It is absolutely within the purview of Congress's oversight duties (also Constitutionally enumerated) to insure, on behalf of the public, that the President holds no conflicts of interest in the execution of his duties that are in direct contradiction to the welfare of the Republic.
4
@Mark Lindsey
"We shouldn't deminish the rights of the American people simply because we dislike one person"
As Sen. McConnell did, by quashing Pres. Obama's last Supreme Court justice nomination process?
1
@Mark Lindsey
We should never, ever weaponize our primary tax collection agency to indulge a political vendetta.
Amazing indeed that Trump simply refuses and defies the Constitution - and few if any really care. Time for Trump or someone like him to simply say "No more elections - period." -- and get away with it.
4
Some years back, a company for which I worked was a subsidiary of one of the ‘Big 4’ accounting firms. We provided service to corporations, including members of the Fortune 500.
Because we provided software related to these companies’ tax returns and, as a result, performed client service tasks related to maintaining and supporting such software, I was required to sell all stock I held in any companies I served as a client. And this despite the fact that I was a ‘peon,’ what I would describe as a staff-level person who in my wildest dreams could not have had any effect over these companies’ financial records.
Given that these were the requirements for, at best, a mid-level staffer connected to a public accounting firm, I find it absolutely mesmerizing how low the standards are for a person to be elected as President of the United States. There is something horribly wrong with this picture.
15
@ETF Monkey
Yes, and so is the fact that apparently the Trumps were so unaware of recent history and four or five decades of presidential politics--or even casually familiar with current events--that they were surprised by any level of financial scrutiny.
1
Once again, can you say Supreme Court?
And once again, Mitch McConnell has won. It’s so depressing and consistent.
And even if Trumps tax records become public? So what? We’ll find he evaded (evades) taxes for years. Not so much because he’s a grifter, but because our laws allow it!
Trump is no different than one thousand other one-percenters.
Is this a crime that warrants jail? For a sitting President no less?
I know what the Republicans think.
States, (New York). Do what the law allows. Last I knew, no one was above it.
Democrats, move on. Mitch is in charge unless we take the Senate.
Ruth Bader will retire and Conservatives will own the Court for the next fifty years.
1
Thank the "Never Hillary"s who either refused to vote for her or stayed home. I was no fan of her, but any clear headed person knew to avoid the alternative. 2016 and the decades-long repercussions caused by petulant idealists living in their own reality made me more of a pragmatist.
4
Does anyone truly believe that this Supreme Court (for that is where this tax dispute will ultimately go) will rule against Trump? Seriously?
The Muslim ban case is instructive here. The Supreme Court deferred to Trump solely on his "word" that the ban was necessary to keep our nation safe from terrorists. The Justice Department produced literally no proof to support his claim. The nations on the ban had no history of sending people to this country who then committed terrorist acts. There was absolutely no factual support for his claim. But to this Court, it just didn't matter. They held an expansive view of the Executive that borders on the ridiculous, ruling that essentially, Trump could take any action he wanted, without the slightest bit of evidence.
Now, one might argue that the subpoena powers of the House are clear, and that the plain language of its authority to obtain tax records is clear. But in the Muslim ban case, this Court provided a powerful clue into their thinking on presidential powers. The sweep of their ruling, simply relying on Trump's "word" that the ban was necessary, was breathtaking.
What this Court has shown me is that it is willing to accept any ridiculous claim of the office of the Executive, to support Trump's actions. They will not question his claim of executive privilege, if he simply provides his "word" that his own tax records fall within the privilege. Anyone betting the Court will order disclosure of Trump's taxes ought to think again.
4
I was waiting for this.
The Dems were losing their "spotlight" due to our President starting up talks again with both China and N. Korea (also - the financial markets were on the rise - the Dems HATE when that happens - they want the economy to tank - because they believe that is better for them in their quest to win in 2020)
So, they release some "noise" to divert attention away from any potential good news associated with our President
This case and the others the Dems feel the need to pursue will not have an outcome until either very close to or after the election - but no matter -
The Dems will be beaten by our President once again in 2020.
And they know it.
2
@DB
The Dems will be beaten by our President once again in 2020.
*******
It would explain their candidates' veering so far away from most voters. Either it's just a leftwing primary, or they are positioning themselves for something else. Why else would they be committing political suicide like this?
1
My guess....Trump is broke. Knowing him, if he had made any money he would be carrying copies with him, waving them around to prove his success and forcing everyone to look at them.
9
@Anne Albaugh
Yes! A lighted crawl sign on the Trump Tower with various account balances...
1
It is time for us to remind all of these public officials that they work for us for the benefit all of our society, not just for their own and donors’ enrichment. Access to tax returns allows the public to see if a politician is using his/her position for personal gain. Asking for Trump’s returns is not just nitpicking or harassing the president.
12
@Dan Jones
Congress works for all of us, and many of us don't support its grab for Trump's tax returns. It's the IRS' job to audit individual returns. We don't support public witch hunts using individual returns.
1
I guess they finished reading the million pieces of evidence from the Mueller report.
2
I think the genius of this is that the tax returns won't produce anything substantial, making this look like a witch Hunt. Trump will ride that all the way to his second term in the White House
3
@James
Most democrats don't even know they got a tax cut on their own individual returns. Does anyone think they'll understand Trump's?
1
Why on earth has Congress not obtained Trump's NY state tax returns ( the legislature approved their release to Congress)?
Looks like the Dems are letting Trump merrily continue his lifelong M.O. of: Lie. Confuse. File lawsuits. Stall. Threaten. Lie some more.
4
@4Katydid - Pelosi acts like she wants to be Trump's next V.P.
Good luck with that. With the radically conservative loons Trump and Mitch the Stitch have loaded the federal court circuits with it’s hard to predict what will happen. Now that they legalized gerrymandering expect it it to become a kangaroo court like we’ve seen in 3rd world countries and satires. As always, the Democrats, also taken over by extremists and radicals, will be a day late and a dollar short. Big on excuses and short on results. As a party they divided they will only conquer themselves
3
Look at the House...
Wasting more money.
1
Had Trump had nothing to hide, he would have released it since he declared his candidacy. Needless to say, his business has been nothing short of scam, his presidency illegitimate, and he has managed to bring the GOP to the blink of extinction. Sad.
8
I thought the same thing when it took Obama 2 years to produce a birth certificate. I can get a copy of mine by mail in less than a week. Maybe he needed time to erase any information that would show he was born in a foreign country.
Every American is entitled to know that their president is not a crook. Release the returns. It's that simple. Over here, we see the Deutsche Bank combusting internally and we all wonder. Follow the money, said Deep Throat.
9
@Charles
Every American is entitled to know that the information he gives to the IRS is secure from prying eyes.
1
@mikecody
Except as authorized under law, which is what the IRS received, a lawful request to furnish information.
2
@Charles
Somehow I doubt Congress is more capable of assessing tax fraud than the IRS.
I don't understand why any American wouldn't want to know if their president was self-dealing, defrauding the people, or committing other crimes such as obstruction of justice. If you want to keep your head buried in the sand, that's your business. Just turn off the TV and don't read the news when it comes out.
But I want to know and I believe I have that right.
10
why? Why must we waist our tax money on such a horrible lawsuit against the person running our country? This is starting to get extremely child like.
I doubt it makes much difference. He's going to fight turning them over for the next two years. His base have already accepted that he's a crook. They're just going to complain that the democrats are always out to get him.
5
Everyone thinks Trump wants to roll Abrams tanks and other armored vehicles onto the Mall as some sort of tin-pot dictator ego trip. But maybe he’s practicing for a time when he loses in court and has to exert the most basic kind of executive power to rein in Congress.
Crazy fantasy? Maybe, but who could have dreamed we would have concentration camps for children and be “in love with” a North Korean dictator who is building weapons to kill millions of Americans?
9
@Charlie B - i was thinking he would just roll them in on Thursday and keep them there.
Trump and all his cohorts have given Congress every reason to take strong action now. I say raid the offices of every lawbreaker in Washington and publicly expose them for the frauds they are. There is a point where so-called legal evasion tactics has to stop. Do it before they burn all the evidence.
4
Congress has a constitutional responsibility of executive oversight. Fact.
If DJT didn’t like it he should have rejected putin when putin “requested” that he run.
DJT knowingly (maybe not) stepped into the lions den... well here come the lions!
5
Could it be that Donald Trump’s tax returns will shed light on his distinctly unpresidential behavior toward Vladimir Putin?
5
such dirty politics
anything to get dirt on the President
while he acts like a buffoon, but those value rule of law, the House continued abuse of power, using subpoena as a political weapon, is truly disturbing.
Are anyone's personal details safe and secret if the House can go after anyone for political, not legislative, reasons?
For those with a moral compass or love for this country, this is a very bad precedent.
1
The Ways and Means Committee can get the returns of ANY taxpayer for any reason or no reason. Read the law!
4
@Joe Yo - "For those with a moral compass or love for this country, this is a very bad precedent."
For those who love this country, this is a requirement.
6
Long overdue. Trump is not above the law on anything just because he is President. He has lied, weasled, and found others to throw roadblocks up to cover up his activities. He has enriched himself and his family while holding office. Nothing transparent about him. More than likely his obstructive acts are due to covering up his money source - Russia and the Saudis.
451
Question: how does a man who never saw a law or norm or regulation he didn’t try transgress get off claiming he knows what a “legitimate” legislative purpose is?
406
@JFMACC
And who put him or the administration in charge of deciding Congressional boundaries for legitimate purposes.
35
especially when there is no such requirement in the statue
4
it seems to me that we need to know how trump made out under his tax reform bill. that's important legislative information.
9
As we have learned, much to our regret, longstanding tradition or custom is no bar to refusing to do what's expected or desired. Trump is not going to release his tax returns now or ever. If we want to avoid a repeat of this in future elections we need to have a law requiring candidates for president to release their tax returns. It could have easily been Barack Obama refusing to release his tax returns. In this reader's opinion candidates for the legislative branch ought to have to release their income tax returns for the past 5 years. We the public do need to know that our legislators are not indebted to any large corporations or foreign governments.
Unfortunately, given who's running the Senate now, I doubt that we'll see any serious action on a law concerning the release of tax returns even if it originates in the House. The GOP has excellent reasons for not wanting the public to see Trump's tax returns. I'm equally certain that McConnell and a few others in Congress wouldn't want us to see their returns either. If you don't want us to see them, don't run for office or be prepared to explain yourself.
7
Trump's New York State tax returns, personal and business, for years and years, containing much of the information in federal returns, are now there for the asking thanks to the New York State Legislature. Why not request and get them immediately? They will show sources of income, claimed losses, claimed business expenses, claimed interest payments, claimed charitable contributions, foreign accounts, etc., etc, and supporting statements, which may or may not be true. And then the guys with the green eye-shades can go to work.
418
@Constant Reader
Good question.
Plus state tax code violations cannot be "pardoned".
Someone please answer as our House Speaker Pelosi sure won't take any action.
What is Trump holding over her?
20
@Constant Reader I haven't found any evidence that Cuomo has actually signed the bill passed by the legislature, despite statements that he supported it. And Ways and Means chair Richard Neal, who is the only person authorized by the bill to request the returns, apparently does not want to do so at this time.
16
I read that Chairman Neal won’t do this yet because it would jeopardize his own lawsuit.
10
Congress has much more patience than I.
I want to know what trump is hiding.
19
Congress has a responsibility to oversee the executive branch.
Part of that oversight is ensuring that the executive branch is lining its own pockets with its executive actions, not to mention oversight of political campaigns that may have been influenced and/or financed by financial relationships with creditors.
Of course Congress has a right to see Trump's tax returns to evaluate his executive branch behavior.
In Nordic countries, ALL tax returns are public because it's understood that tax policy and income tax returns are the basic building blocks of a decent society and that we're all members of society.
America's aversion to honest income tax policy and tax return disclosure would help reveal how crooked and corrupt America is, along with its crooked and corrupt Tax-Dodger-In-Chief.
Let's have a look at those Trump tax returns.
35
@Socrates we're not allowed to discuss our salaries with our colleagues. This is more of the same. Trump and some others flaunt their wealth while objecting to reasonable demands to know where it came from. In this case if you're going to flaunt it or run for public office you ought to be required to show how you got it, if you're paying your taxes, and that you're in possession of a modicum of decency.
I do wish Humpty Dumpty would fall off the wall if only to prove the fact that he's as cracked as he acts. However, that's another comment entirely.
5
@Socrates "In Nordic countries, ALL tax returns are public". That's a stretch. What is public, at least in Norway, is two numbers: net income (roughly equivalent to AGI minus deductions) and net wealth - assets minus debt. Congress should the detail on Trump.
But otherwise, your point is right on target.
2
This lawsuit only got filed today?!?
I don't know about the rest of you, I think the biggest problem facing our country now is the ongoing assault on our particular form of government. The check and balance system seems to be almost gone.
Perhaps this is no surprise, since both Houses of Congress enjoy only ~10% approval rating. Citizens don't care that Congress is being treated as irrelevant, so why should the executive?
7
Like most of the rich, his tax return is gonna look ugly but not illegal. It's the problem of the system, the rich can hire a army to help them pay less tax than the poor.
6
It’s understandable why Trump followers are digging in over his tax returns: it took a long time to get an overt white nationalist into the Oval Office and they’re going to protect him. Apparently right-wing nationalist violence against racial and religious minorities hasn’t surged quite enough during his first term and they’re hoping for at least four more years of it.
11
There is only one reason for a public official to keep his tax returns secret: dishonesty.
11
This is a much bigger issue than precedence or what Trump is materially worth. This is about a deliberate assault on the establishment of the United States. I do not believe that this is Trump blocking access to his tax records: as an individual, he would not have that right or ability without powerful support that seeks to thwart Congress as the body politic. This is the Republican Party vying to, once again, confound the running of a democracy and is supporting its figurehead in his obfuscation. Should they succeed, no tax records will be subject to public disclosure, this benefitting the wealthy in hiding their assets to profound effect. The implication will be to divide the US into two nations, one for the rich and and another for everyone else. One only needs to observe Trump, even at long range, to discern how the rich view the unwashed. Our world will be a desultory place.
The Treasury is acting like a tawdry Swiss bank in protecting its investors. Mnuchin has clearly abrogated his responsibility as a public servant to act in accordance with his sworn obligation. He needs to be sequestered and removed by whatever means.
America deserves better than this coven of traitors at its helm. One might suspect that, given US history of perceived wealth and achievable opportunity, this sorry day was inevitable: the American century has arrived. Should Democrats succeed in 2020, I’m not sure that they will be successful in returning this lascivious genie to its toxic bottle.
9
After the performance of the 2 debates this past week, the Dems see they need a heck of a lot more to beat Trump then the 20 plus candidates they have. If they don't find any dirt on the President via his tax returns, or Mueller Report, they're cooked. President will be re-elected. Is there anyone that really believes this is not political? Only a partisan hack would believe that.
3
Some patriotic Deep Throat needs to just give Congress the returns. It is perfectly legal under the Constitutional law, so they are protected.
Then let the trump "administration" spend years trying to shove that genie back into the bottle via the courts.
1
@DVargas
It's not legal under the constitution.
But why should that matter to the Dems.
All they want is to give into their hatred of our President and cover their embarrassment of losing in 2016...no matter what the cost.
1
Had potus not bucked tradition and handed over his tax returns, it is possible our two+ year nightmare might never had happened. HE owns it.
3
Our country has become the antithesis of what our founding Fathers intended. It is time to cancel the fourth of July as it rings hollow in present day America.
5
Keep going after this Trump character. Never let up. Never give up. This moral degenerate has to be driven out of office in the next election.
4
In the meantime Congress should ask for his New York State returns. That bill passed the Legislature and if I'm correct it's waiting for Cosmo's signature.
2
It is imperative that all financial information for trump and his gang to be made fully public. Trump and gang must suffer.
2
@Fred
Yes, that's what is important.
Let's not focus on and find solutions for the many issues facing our people.
It's more important to punish our President for beating the Dems in 2016.
1
@Fred: Trump and his gang shouldn't suffer any more or less than they deserve. Let's punish them for their crimes and move on. Let's also make sure that Trump doesn't pardon himself or cause the statute of limitations to run out by getting a second term.
Even if the suit is successful and the returns are released, and we discover something as egregious as monthly automated deposits from Putin's personal checking account, so what?
Nothing will change. Nothing will happen. Congress will do nothing. The senate GOP in particular will shrug its shoulders, and that vile, odious, traitorous majority leader will prevaricate as readily as he breathes air, and the USA will continue its decline in to the abyss of moral death.
5
This sounds like another attempt by Congress to pass the buck to the judiciary. We have had nothing but months of stalling, delay and outright defiance by the Trump administration.
Nancy Pelosi is a seasoned politician and has forgotten more than I will ever know about politics but it’s hard to believe the plan to wait for the election is a good one. The appearance of being feckless and overcautious is harmful.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump is blithely schmoozing with murderous dictators and planning a military parade while subpoenas and lawsuits pile up around him like withering autumn leaves.
Impeachment now is the best and only real tool Congress has left.
7
@MG
Our President will not be impeached.
Impeachment proceedings will only serve as a "show" for the Dems.
Our President will be reelected in 2020.
And you know it.
2
@DB
This is what I “know”, the current administration is hurting children, creating misery and animosity against us around the world. He is carrying on in a rogue manner with regard to the expectations we are entitled to have in a leader. He insults our longstanding allies and praises despots who are our enemies without concern that he is alone in wanting to befriend them or for the opinion of experts in foreign policy, of which he has no knowledge.
His business dealings are under suspicion and he is hiding information that will confirm or deny their legality when a coequal branch of government charged by the constitution demands the release of that information.
Sounds like we have a case.
2
"Russian meddling in elections" has run out of steam; time to move on to "tax returns".
4
Congress is attempting to retake it's equal place in the government, that the GOP has relinquished to Trump. I hope they succeed.
I'm not holding my breath about the court system however, the same one Trump & Co. have packed with their judges.
3
Part of the difference in the way Executive and Legislative branches see the dispute is in the way that Legislative branch has formed numerous administrative agencies to oversea various laws, set policies, assess fines. The President does not view these administrative functions as properly belongs Ng to the Executive branch. As a result, it sees Congress oversight function as more limited. It seems the Executive branch is also crafting a judiciary which has similar views.
1
And why wouldn't the House hold Barr and Mnuchin in contempt? Seems like a condition precedent to a lawsuit to exhaust all administrative remedies before a Court had jurisdiction. And in reality, the Trump administration have been demonstrating their contempt for Congress with every foot they drag on releasing information vital to the implementation of Congressional oversight.
22
It’s about time . We have to pay taxes year after year and these rich criminals get away with not paying them for decades. Not right in a Democracy . Every one needs to follow the rules to have our Democracy work. We need to demand to see how many tax dead beats are in Trumps family and start making them pay back years of free rides. All the trips we are paying weekly for to take him and the family to Florida needs to be released to make him start paying that money back. At least President Obama stayed many times at Camp David and saved us billions.
25
@D.j.j.k. Yeah, let's do it for the whole lot of politicians if that's the case and we will be left with no one. This is a stupid stunt that makes no sense and has nothing to do with us.
The Dems pay their taxes and show them to the public if they run for office its your corrupt GOP politicians that refuse to follow the rules . Lock them up.
And at some point in the foreseeable future when the (D)s elect a non-politician and the same case is made, how likely is it another administration is going to bend over backwards to block the release of their personal financial information?
It has been a longstanding tradition that presidential candidates release their tax returns to the public. Trump has proven himself to be anything but traditional.
Bear in mind, Trump was once a (D). Going back to my opening sentence, had Trump not changed party's, run as a (D) and won, and the (R)s were demanding he release his returns, most (D)s and Liberals would be defending his right to keep his returns private.
4
This article shows the threat to our three-part co-equal federal system posed by Trump's attempted power grab. Trump is claiming the right to decide what demands for information and testimony of officials by Congress are legitimate. He is hoping that the Supreme Court will be willing to claim for itself the power to decide the legitimacy of the Congressional demands. I don't see Chief Justice Roberts willing to do that. If the Court did decide on the merits, we can kiss Congressional authority to review executive actions goodbye.
12
poor democrats lose again. trumps tax returns will have no political impact if they get disclosed at all, because it will be after the 2020 election. it appears the new current spin involves immigration detention that is substituting for the role of the collusion et. al portfolio. but trump has an easy answer for that - he inherited obamas detention infrastructure, and he plans to improve on that with the new funding allocation.
3
@sh
Yep.
In reality, they could care less about the people at our borders (other than their votes) or our President's tax returns..
It's all about keeping in the "spotlight" in the Dems (what will be a failed) quest to win in 2020.
President Trump has business interests in foreign countries such as Russia, China and Saudi Arabia.
His tax returns are absolutely pertinent in finding out whether he is beholden to the interests of those countries.
It is a matter of national security.
38
Where is Governor Cuomo on this? Why hasn't he signed the Trust Act into law? He said he would after both houses of the NY State legislature passed the Trust Act. That would at least allow these committees to get Trump's NY state returns, which would shed light on his federal returns.
17
But he was going to have the most transparent presidency ever? He promised the American taxpayer he would release them while campaigning for office? I can't think of one promise he's kept in its entirety? Tax cut for all? Health care will be bigger, better and cheaper? I'm going to drain the swamp? Mexico will pay for the wall? This trade war will be short? The list is never ending.
22
The law is very clear here...if this goes to the Supreme Court (and I do not think the court will even take this case as it is clear and does not pose a constitutional question), where their job is to say "what the law is" and they somehow say "shall furnish" means something else, we ought to be impeaching judges.
Those in Congress who defend the president never seem to put forth any proposals to change any of these oversight laws because they know they are generally important to do their jobs.
9
The stolen Court just gave gerrymandering a pass, and gave The Question on the census a pass so long as they make up a better lie, both after Corporations Untied with a LESS stolen group!
To think they'll do the sane, right thing here is to put way, WAY too much faith in them. Either the Democrats widen it or it's worse-than-worthless.
2
what has become of the NY state tax disclosure issue? They passed, and Como signed, authorization to send Trump's state tax return to Congress. What is going on?
9
The IRS has been used as a weapon by the Democrats since early in the Obama administration. The American public may be able to be sold a con job of savings associated with ACA and other programs but when they see the power to destroy lives given to the IRS there will be he'll to pay ( but not paid to the IRS. Plan on a bigger underground economy due to mistrust).
The targeting of political opponents can always be justified. Will the guy holding a sign on a street corner be next?
2
That’s a curious argument you make. If Trump releases his tax returns, he will be destroyed! Only if there is something terribly wrong with the returns. And wouldn’t you, as a voting American citizen want to know that?
6
The Administration’s assertion that it has full authority to decide that a statutory request has no legitimate purpose needs to be litigated, even after the President has passed away, to avoid letting his claim establish a precedent. Consider what would ensue when the President appoints the First Daughter Vice President.
7
Would the Trump tax returns be among the underlying materials collected by the Mueller investigation? Couldn't they be obtained that way?
3
This case will be determined by which president nominated the district court judge assigned to the lawsuit. With Obama or Clinton judges, the track record so far seems to be 100% ruling against Trump.
1
Har har. There's no way any federal judge could misinterpret "shall furnish." Just because one side is stonewalling does not mean that this is a live controversy.
Again: what is Trump hiding that other presidents and presidential candidates haven't felt the need to hide? Romney's taxes were complex, as you would expect from his business dealings. And presumably if Trump laundered money, we aren't gonna find that on an IRS form. So what's the big secret?
9
@C Wolfe it's just another stunt to waste our tax dollars on meaningless children whining.
This is politically motivated by the Democrats in Congress. There is no legitimate reason for them to demand the tax returns. They are looking for anything to further damage the President. Even worse, the Democrats are relying on an old rule to demand the returns.
If there's an impeachment inquiry, then it would make more sense to turn over the tax returns. Until then, Trump should not turn over his returns.
1
At least the Democrats are looking for damaging information through legitimate and legal US sources and not from Russia.
4
@david1987
We have several lines of evidence that suggest that trump has failed to disclose income from foreign companies and individuals. That would be illegal, and it would also be a point of leverage that foreign intelligence agencies can use against him.
There is a huge amount of well-documented evidence that trump's real estate businesses have been money laundering operations for Russian mobsters for 2 decades. That is also illegal and significant information that the Congress and the People are entitled to know.
Finally, we know for a fact that Trump did not divest himself of his businesses, and that he has personally profited from foreign government agents payments to his businesses. His tax returns are needed to determine the amounts of those payments, and their timing.
3
Why create this idea that there must be a reason to demand the tax returns? That's not in the law. Treasury should just follow the law as it's written.
If he is not protected against having his financials released to the public then we are all at risk. I understand the rationale behind so many people snarling with fury against him, but this is a threat to all of us. Privacy should be of utmost importance.
3
Trump is the most public of public figures. He is obligated by tradition and ethics to release his returns.
4
@Simon
My understanding is that the returns would be released to Congress, not to the public.
Its not a privacy issue.
4
A President does not deserve special treatment. The law says that he must release his returns when asked for by Congress. Either we are a nation of laws or we are not.
Is Trump above the law? So far, it seems the answer is yes.
14
This is the ONE he has been trying to hide - wonder what is in them. I bet it’s simply that he is far from s billionaire and that The Apprentice saved him from another bankruptcy. His ‘people’ won’t care. But we should see them!
10
Did not New York State say it would release state tax records that would reflect in large part the national tax records? Where are those?
7
If "political reasons" means that voters should be able to make informed choices it's legitimate.
12
During the Republican primary and the general election Trump claimed that he only received a "small" million dollar loan from his father and built all of his wealth from that small gift from daddy. But years previously, during a lawsuit he brought, and lost, he was, under oath and the penalty of perjury, was asked about the only a million dollar claim and admitted that it more likely 13 or 14 million, which also means it could be more. He has brazenly lied about his wealth and continues to lie. Over and over again. That is why he is fighting so hard to keep the truth hidden from the American people.He was born a millionaire, he is not a business genius, he has lost billions in multiple failed enterprises, and his creation myth is so chalk full of lies he will do anything to keep it hidden.
7
@KJ Peters
Actually, it is well-documented that he inherited $400,000,000. Not a loan. He also tried to defraud his siblings and his father just before his father died, and steal all of the inheritance.
In addition to the $400 million he inherited when his father died, he was always paid hundreds of thousands per year, sometimes per month, starting from when he was a child. he also "borrowed" hundreds of millions from his father and his father's business, but never paid it back.
3
The line in this article that struck home for me was about frustrated liberals being irate at "the House's plodding pace in bringing the case to court." No kidding. Sometimes it's hard to believe the Democrats are in control of the House.
4
@RRM
Because it's about as clear a slam-dunk as impeachment -- that is, not nearly as much as they would like their voters to believe.
Surely the courts must see the importance of expediting this.
12
Trump family and businesses may not be the only tax returns that should be transparent.
Mnuchin and Mulvaney and many other Trump stumpers and high-level gov workers, (good people on both sides), probably would cringe at the thought of their own returns being publicized. They may be circling the wagons.
With all Trump's conflicts, profits, nepotism, tax avoidance bragging, money laundering actions, and bankruptcies etc., etc., those tax returns absolutely have to be revealed before this November, ahead of Nov 2020. It would be election fraud to not reveal them this year.
9
The day is coming when the emperor will wear no clothes . When we all see that Don The Con has been carry forward a billion dollars in loses , his tv sham, good businessman personality will be exposed as the lie that all of us who grew up with him in the Tri-State Area , have always known.
9
I hope that the House succeeds. But why stop with Trump? We need the tax returns of all members of Congress to be made public. Who knows what interesting incriminating information will be discovered. It could even change who will be the Democrat Presidential candidate.
4
@Richard Bourne
Absolutely, it should be required for anyone running for office to release their returns for the 10 years prior to running, for every year they are in office, and for a decade after they leave office.
ALL of the Democrats running for President have released their tax returns. Many lawmakers do as well.
1
Want tax returns? Pass a law that they must be disclosed by all candidates for public office. No support for such a law? Then drop this suit. Better yet, pass a law that ALL politicians’ tax returns are public—what better way to root out corruption? Oh, wait, the politicians would have to vote for that law—it’ll never happen.
3
@Lifelong NewYorker
The suit is not about that in theory, though many will take it as an end run to get his returns public. You could very well have a compromise decision where yes, Congress can examine the process that is being used to audit Trump, but it must be done in private and the returns cannot be made public.
1
Please read the law that is at the center of the suit.
While the House will probably win in court, Trump will take this to the Supreme Court. With a conservative majority, it is doubtful that Congress will prevail. There is nothing in the Constitution or in statute, that requires any politician or appointee to provide their tax returns.
Thus, if the Supreme Court rules in Trump's favor, it allows for even more corruption. Trump, in rapid motion is dismantling this Democracy, because he is going against tacit precedent for his office. The framers, and Congress, expected a president to behave and act in certain ways, and to stay within the Constitution. Trump, and his legal team, have found ways around these precedents.
As each step of the Trump Administration progresses, it is one step closer to autocracy.
186
@Nick Metrowsky Congress can update laws at any time, regardless of what the president thinks, says or does, so there is no autocracy. In fact, Trump does not get to make the final decisions, the courts, the third branch do.
Remember, Congress is not allowed to be autocratic either.
Democracy is working perfectly here. You have two branches in conflict and the dispute is to be settled by the Judiciary. Just as the system was set up to work.
You don't get to call it non-democratic or autocratic just because you don't like the potential outcome.
And even if the courts rule for Trump, the final word comes out of Congress. They can fashion a law that has veto-proof majorities requiring POTUS tax return to be made public upon election. Or at least given to Congressional committees.
See, not autocratic at all, all three branches in play as was designed.
6
@Nick Metrowsky Congress will prevail because it's THE LAW and the Supreme Court is there to uphold THE LAW.
15
@Nick Metrowsky Actually, there is something in the statutes requiring the IRS to hand over information Congress asks for. That's the basis of the challenge.
39
President Trump would love to release his tax return, but he is being audited. Once the audit is over, he'll release his tax return. I guess he is under audit for every tax year? I think he should release the IRS document indicating he is being audited, just to make it clear to the American people what the hold up is?? Also, it might be that President Trump is busy getting the money from Mexico to build the wall? That takes time. Also, he is replacing Obama care with something less costly, that provides more care to more people. Be careful not to blink, because the repeal and replace is going to happen real quick! See, all things can be explained. It's not as if if President would be less than truthful with the American people...right?
4
Democrats want to start a new witch hunt to harass the president and deprive him of an opportunity to resolve the pressing issues facing the world by focusing on them. Now that Mueller has stopped futzing around, the Democrats are digging the bottom of the barrel and ignoring the problems facing the country and the world. Democrats if you are listening, I say go around the country and talk to the homeless, go around the country and find out the root cause of pollution that is going to contribute to climate change, go around the country and find out why many farmers are no longer happy farmers, go around the country and find out the difficulties that our veterans have with settling back to civilian lives with PTSD and lost body parts. I can go on on about the opioid crisis and crisis at the border but I if the Democrats want to do people's work and serve the people they represent then they can see for themselves.
Mr. Greg Fischer (GF), the mayor of the great city of Louisville where I have resided for 26 years, is a Democrat. He is serving his 3rd term and truly represents a city that appreciates what he does for the city and how hard he works at solving the problems of the inner city. I have never once heard him bring trivial issues publicly or malign the president unfairly. To me GF is a model CEO of the city not trying to make hay or climb the political ladder by playing dirty tricks. He is focused on serving the people who elected him. Greg Fischer for president 2024.
3
You're aware of the fact that Trump is spending his time watching TV, right? And in the afternoons, he is raising funds, holding massive rallies, and planning the takeover of the national 4th of July celebration. He's not being deprived of anything by this suit against Treasury. In fact, he shouldn't have anything to do with this lawsuit. It's not about him, for once.
1
What happened to the tax law passed in New York that would reveal trump's taxes in the state?
3
If he has nothing to hide, then why is disclosing his records a problem?
13
If you have nothing to hide it's okay for the police to search your home without a warrant, right? This is a tired argument that has no bearing in our society and Constitution.
3
Can't they figure out Trump has just been using his tax returns as a red herring? They'll get 'em, after so much heavy lifting and discover there's nothing nefarious in them.
The law is unambiguous and extremely clear. There is no requirement that there be a proven "legislative purpose" to request ANYONE'S tax returns. There is ample precedent for this provision as well. This is as close to a slam-dunk case as it gets.
But of course, we are living with a lawless president and a lawless toady-infested administration who don't care about the constitution, don't care about the law, only care about protecting our criminal chief executive.
Trump thinks he can delay this until after the election. He may be surprised. Won't it be revelatory if the case finally gets resolved by March or April of next year? I fervently hope so.
9
@William O, Beeman "The law is unambiguous and extremely clear. There is no requirement that there be a proven "legislative purpose""
Well, that is a question for the courts as we have strong legal opinions on both sides. Congress has actually legitimized the claim by stating that they DO have a legitimate purpose.
Trump, like any of us, have the right to challenge such actions in court, that is how our country works.
And even IF we have the law is clear and unambiguous, that does not mean you cannot try to get the law struck down as unconstitutional. Many a clear law has been struck down as such.
I mean, forget the legitimate reasoning stuff. Congress can ask for and not safeguard ANYONE'S tax return for NO REASON whatsoever? That sounds like a near unanimous SCOTUS strike down of a law. A law ripe for abuse.
1
Mr. Trump has so often made broad statements declaring his absolute innocence in all matters.
Why then does he need to defy congressional subpoenas? Why does he instruct members of his administration to follow suit, even at the risk of being charged with contempt of congress?
An innocent person has rights to privacy, but nothing the congress is reqesting invades Trump’s personal privacy.
So why this irrational effort by the president to maintain strict secrecy in so many areas?
The logical conclusion is that Donald Trump is NOT the innocent man he claims to be. The endless stream of lies he tells and the defiance he exhibits toward congress indicate that, in reality, the president is guilty of misdeeds, possibly criminal in nature.
The congressional investigations into the actions of Mr. Trump and his administration must continue. Judicial decisions on the appeals of Mr. Trump’s attorneys should be swiftly and decisively made.
Democracy thrives in the light of day. It dies in darkness.
Mr. Trump, what is it that you are so desperately trying to hide?
7
I'm still amazed no one from IRS has leaked his returns, there must be 50 people who have access.
6
@Jean louis LONNE
Maybe because leaking the tax returns will not allow them to be admissible in any future court proceedings (criminal and possibly civil) because it will be considered inadmissible the doctrine of fruit from the poisoned tree.
1
@spc
Leaking them would also expose them to criminal penalties & prison.
For the record, I believe weaponizing the IRS and private tax returns is a colossal mistake. This is our major tax collecting body. To use it to pursue a political vendetta diminishes it credibility and brings its independence and political impartiality into question. Shame on democrats for politicizing the IRS this way.
2
Doing what the law allows is neither "politicizing" nor "weaponizing" the IRS.
But for (1) citizen Trump to use his Presidential power (2) to direct an independent agency like the Treasury (3) to violate the law (4) for no reason other than to keep secret citizen Trump's alleged tax fraud, wrongdoing, conflicts of interest, and compromise by foreign governments, now that's "politicizing" and "weaponizing" the IRS.
1
The executive branch does not have unfettered privilege but nor does Congress have unquestioned access to all things it asks for. These are limits that, barring clear laws, need to be determined in the courts.
3
@Marvin
There is no legal justification for not complying with congress. The Executive branch of the government cannot decide when and when not to comply with the over site of Congress.
2
@Marvin, this law is plain as day. It says the Treasury Dept. "shall" provide tax returns requested by this committee. Never before has this committee been denied or stonewalled for such a request.
2
@G Sure they can not comply and seek to defend there legal position in court. Only after the court decisions says so must they legally comply.
Neither the executive branch nor Congress is all-powerful. They both must abide by the laws, and laws are adjudicated in the courts.
1
At a loss to understand how the checks and balances of the respective branches towards one another in their official duties applies here, let's have ALL of our elected leaders be subject to public scrutiny of finances and tax returns each year they are in office.
I'm sure the public has an interest in how or whether our elected officials are doing while in office and whether or not there is improper enrichment therein.
32
Many employers require applicants to give up federal tax forms before they are hired. Why should we, as employers of elected officials do any different. These are important jobs.
74
@Michael Roberts Very few employers will ask for a federal tax return.
@Michael Roberts Until our representatives pass such laws we have these gray areas.
@Markus
I have been required to produce federal taxes by employers (in order to be bonded), and I have been required by landlords of commercial property (in order to rent retail space).
Neither as important, or as consequential to the public, as a POTUS or member of Congress.
2
In my opinion, it's way past time to file lawsuits against Donald John Trump for his tax information and his "absolute immunity" claims. No one is above the law and that rule must be obeyed, even while questioned. I've has enough of the double standard and even some Fox talking heads have acknowledged the hypocrisy. Today is a good day for the rule of law over the rule of personality.
808
@John I totally agree with your comment. Unfortunately the bases are loaded against the the House and the Democrats. Just look what Trump and McConnell did, they loaded the SCOTUS with Republicans and they loaded the lower courts with more Republicans. It seems this is a no win situation for the House.
19
@John Agree, but also we need answers to Congressional powers which are NOT unfettered. The only law here contains a large gray areas of "legitimate purpose." The Supreme court, led by the lefties and Gorsuch, have struck down a number of these ambiguous laws already. I don't see Congress winning this on in the long term if it reaches SCOTUS.
The solution? Pass a clear law stating that POTUS tax returns shall be made public.
9
The law in question does NOT require a ‘legitimate purpose’ or any purpose.
18
The Trump administration seems to believe and demand that they have "line item veto" power over any and all Congressional oversight laws and regulations.
"No man is above the law and no man is below it: nor do we ask any man's permission when we ask him to obey it."
- Theodore Roosevelt (ca. when Republicans still believed in constitutional democracy)
We will find out how many of our Supreme Court Justices believe that Presidents (or at least GOP Presidents) are now above any law they do not expressly give permission to enforce.
That the answer will likely be 5 or 4 is another indication of how much danger our democracy is in
107
@LT Its exhilirating to realize that the left can't intimidate our President with the IRS.
Personally I think Congress should pass legislation requiring anyone running for federal office - be it Congress or the Presidency - to release a certain number of years of tax returns. This should happen every time they run for office. Full disclosure would let the people know who is funneling money to these people, whether they are finding loopholes to circumvent paying their fair share of taxes and so on. Otherwise, the corruption we have seen continues to grow. People in Congress get information that allows them to profit through the markets, for example. The average person should be able to have a light shone into these practices, and being able to see tax returns in one way of doing that.
1254
@dairyfarmersdaughter
Agreed. But if Congress won't pass those laws, then the parties should require anyone who wants to run on their ticket to produce tax returns and a recent medical history. States could also insist that candidates produce returns in order to appear on ballots. Some states are pushing for such laws now.
217
@Zelmira Whew! All my evil financial misdeeds will not be revealed as I have lived in FL and TX for the last dozen years. No state income tax. Guess I'll throw my hat into the Democratic ring and become #25. If it hasn't changed.
7
@Zelmira why? Stop watching so much cnn and other lib organizations. There is no law, there is nothing in the constitution that says a man has to show his returns. Nothing more than harassment of the president.
6
To state the obvious, there is no excuse for NOT providing full financial disclosure in the form of tax filings. Any attempt to block the publicly disclosure of those filings should be met with utter contempt and brushed aside in the public interest by any court. FULL financial disclosure should be the law of the land to be on ANY ballot. And if you don't like it, don't run. Public service has sacrifices, and privacy is one of those sacrifices. And may I add that a right to privacy does not entitle powerful people to cover up their criminal or compromising behavior.
97
@MrsWhit Perhaps it should be the law of the land, but it is not currently the law of the land.
@MrsWhit Perhaps it should be the law of the land, but it is not currently the law of the land.
@MrsWhit And that is fine, but irrelevant to the case at hand because there IS no such law concerning POTUS.
I am pessimistic that Trump will appeal any negative decision all the way to the Supreme Court where his chosen lackeys will rule in his favor.
65
@Bandersnatch
Even if Trump's Supreme Court Justice Lackeys refuse to require Trump to give his tax returns, American voters will have that information available to them in their next House/Senate/Presidential elections.
If there is any hope for rescuing American democracy from the destruction of the Trump Administration it lies in new leadership in both parties!
I wish that the WaPo and NYTimes would call Chuck and Nancy what they are: elected members of the Senate and House who refuse to do their duty and impeach the President!
4
@Bandersnatch The lefties and Gorsuch have just toss back to ambiguous laws. All 9 just tossed back the citizenship questions based on a suspect pretext.
If this gets to SCOTUS, look for anything from a 5-4 to a 9-0 victory for Trump. If Congress does not like it they can change the law.
@Bandersnatch, I don't think the case will make it to the Supreme Court. The law is entirely without ambiguity.
1
President Trump has no reason to release his tax returns. There is no benefit to him from releasing them. He is a wealthy man with broad ranging business interests and an incredibly complex tax situation. No matter how clean his tax returns are, there will be something in them that could be used to make him look bad: too much money from foreign investments, lower total assets than he has boasted about, charitable giving to the wrong organization, miscalculated deductions, etc.
10
How about he releases them because he said he would. Sound reasonable to me.
13
@Ben Try no charitable giving at all. Zero. That was already shown through some of his other financial filings.
6
@Ben Wow, perhaps Trump has no motivation to release his returns, but based on the reasons you just gave, it sure motivates the rest of us to want to see them.
10
* Congress HOLDS the purse-strings.
* The House DRAFTS tax laws.
* The law COMPELS the IRS to give the House the tax returns of ANY taxpayer when asked.
* News reports say that in years' past Trump reported a BIGGER tax loss than any other American.
* News reports also show a pattern and practice of abusing the tax laws when Trump's father transferred billions of dollars in assets to his children.
* When asked about paying NO taxes in the past Trump said "That makes me smart."
* Americans need a tax system that will stem the growing gap between the wealthiest 1% and other Americans.
* If the tax code has onerous and unfair tax loopholes for the rich, the House has an absolute duty and responsibility to examine them in detail to fix the system before the inequities drive America over a cliff.
* If the House wants to look at taxes of Americans in order to build a better tax system for ALL, I can think of no better place to start than Trump's tax returns.
* Finally, Americans expect Trump to be acting completely in the public interest for all Americans. Not self-dealing or making decisions that may be biased by self-interest or his family's interest. There is NO better place to ANSWER that question than Trump's tax returns.
297
@Richard
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes & agreed!
Not sure if you intended this as a top 10 list but worked out that way.
6
@Richar
Nancy Pelosi has delayed so much that she has become complicit in allowing the crimes of Donald Trump and his familly, and the inhumane treatment of immigrants at the border.
Nancy should refuse to authorize any federal funding until the Trump administration quits funding attacks on science, women, and the enslaved people om cages at the US border. If they don't want to accept the folks coming for asylum then they should fund save havens in their home countries.
4
@Is_the_audit_over_yet. Yes. Thank you. For the White House, IRS and Munchkin to keep saying the House has "NO LEGISLATIVE PURPOSE" is outright false. These are exactly the kinds of things Congress MUST look into.
9
Donald Trump's potential conflicts of interest, foreign (and domestic) emoluments, and potential criminal activity (like money laundering for Russian oligarchs) need to be seen. Congress has oversight responsibility and there is no higher duty than to clean out corruption in the highest office in the land.
120
@Dodger Fan how will those things you mention show up in his tax returns? Wouldn't the IRS and FBI investigate any citizens whose tax returns were indicative of criminal behaviour?
1
@Dodger Fan You do understand that all of those things could be related to ANY member of the House, Senate or Executive office, as well as every American citizen and immigrant in the country. Don't we already have enough spying on Americans as it is? No need for probable cause; suspicion, opinion, dislike or party affiliation is more than enough to search a person. What's next, our healthcare, our children, our communications, mail and conversations? Whatever happened to the fourth amendment? Did we just give up and say "hey, I give up - my privacy is nonexistent ?" For eighteen years our own government has been watching us with microscopes. When do we say, enough is enough - or do we just sit back and allow them to grant themselves even deeper intrusion into our private lives?
@Michael, actually no, the IRS is not able to investigate every suspicious tax return, let alone every facially-legitimate tax return that references a foreign bank, say, that is only discovered later to have been laundering money. And the "emoluments" mentioned are only relevant to the President.
Trump's tax returns will show a man losing hundreds of millions of dollars while proclaiming himself a business wizard. They will show a man indentured to foreign banks, in hock to the Federal Government he now pretends to lead, a manifest personal and financial fraud who had every reason to withhold this information from the American public.
274
@Jeff M
Yes, all true. But you are much too nice.
10
If POTUS has to disclose tax returns then all public servants in DC should have to as well. There are far more backdoor deals within the Senate and House as compared to the Oval Office.
6
Great idea, let’s start with the people who promised to release their tax returns.
5
@Nature Voter
I don't disagree, but Congress has the authority to request any of them from the IRS. This isn't Congress picking on Trump.
5
@Nature Voter
I'm okay with that. Trump can go first.
2
LOL. This will be the "big one" that finally gets everyone to realize Trump's most zealous critics were right about him all along. This will absolutely prove they were right. And they will finally have their vindication or is it revenge?
6
@AACNY
Those in the Fox News/AM Radio bubble will never be convinced, but that doesn't mean the truth shouldn't come out.
4
Dont't let Trump or any of his minions off the hook. Subpoena and sue them, they need to be cornered and feel the heat.
Trump was known to sue on all possible grounds, so he will spare nothing to try to avoid justice. Keep the pressure on him.
Even if it takes years, we need to know the truth about his finances, so that no other presidential candidate in the future tries to play another Trump by hiding and shirking.
Besides, a constant driping of damaging revelations would be perfectly fine for Trump's 2020 reelection campaign.
Also show the corruption of McConnel's GOP that shied at nothing to try to shield Trump.
75
The question of Trumps character has long been settled with revelations from him describing his sexual predator behavior.
His tax returns will reveal many financial manipulations but no other surprises other than his lower level of wealth than what was supposed.
We Americans are stuck with an undesirable president until he exits one way or another!
17
No other President in history has continuously acted in this matter. All other Presidents in the last several decades has released their taxes.
Congress is a co- equal branch of government, which our founders drafted and ultimately approved.
This President is neither our dictator, nor our king, and he shouldn't be allowed to withhold his taxes, for legitimate purposes for Congress to investigate, and for the people to ascertain what has in fact happened. He is merely President for two terms at most.
Mueller's investigation has stated that Russia interfered in our election, without equivocation, and Russians have been indicted for these alleged actions.
Further, investigations are underway to ascertain whether Trump and his family have violated the emoluments clause in our Constitution.
Every prior President, has given emoluments to the Library of Congress, in that emoluments belong to the People of the United States. They do not belong to the President, to his family and friends, nor anyone else.
In summation, this inquiry is most appropriate in this matter, and Congress and the People must prevail!
58
@Quandry: Not just all presidents, but EVERY single presidential candidate since 1976 has released his or her tax returns. Except one. The same guy who criticized Mitt Romney in 2012 when the Republican nominee delayed and delayed releasing his returns. And the same guy who said, in a 2014 TV interview, "I'd LOVE to release my tax returns. And the same guy who continue to perpetuate the utter lie that he "can't" release his returns because they're under audit. (Really? For four years now?) Warren Buffett proved that to be 100 percent false when he released HIS tax returns -- which were being audited at the time -- the next day.
The American people failed to do their due diligence when they elected the only candidate in almost fifty years to refuse to release his tax returns -- without stopping to ask themselves WHY anyone other than a two-bit con man wouldn't level with the people he hoped to serve -- and we're paying for it big time.
Shame on us. It is mandatory for all cabinet members to release their tax returns before being confirmed. It's amazing to me that we rely on the honor system for those who would hold the most powerful job on the planet. And that's how we wound up with a dishonorable man soiling the Oval Office with his inherent dishonesty, corruption, and lies and lies on top of more lies.
3
@Quandry "and he shouldn't be allowed to withhold his taxes, for legitimate purposes for Congress to investigate"
And that is the law, but the question is the ambiguity of the word "legitimate." For just as the president is not a King, nor is Congress the ultimate authority. Both have to act within the limits of the laws as written.
SCOTUS, on the left and right, and consistently Gorsuch, are not fans of ambiguous law.
Still waiting for the House to start taking pages from the McConnell playbook. I love Michelle Obama, but when they go low, we better be down there with them, or we're gonna lose in 2020.
18
@luckygal
Facing the Nazi/ German threat, the US military did not "go low" , they went high and bombed the living daylights out of the enemy.
In the case of Trump, "going high" means taking Trump to a higher instance and setting a higher standard, the US Constitution, which defines the powers of congress.
Two can play trump’s game. Bring suit against trump, trump jr, ivanka, and the whole kit and caboodle. Make them as crazy as the country.
51
Trump's been under the longest audit in US History.
36
"There has never been, ever before, an administration that’s been so open and transparent."
— Donald Trump, May 20th, 2019
I agree, most transparently obstructive.
58
Democratic House leaders: stop playing softball...you’ve got to start playing the same game as Republicans — hardball, and you’ve got to play it to win. You’ve got to do it to save our country. And you’ve got to do it now!
Simply punch the bully in the nose and he crumbles. He doesn’t expect his victim to fight back.
44
The MSM including the NYT continues to play into the hands of obstructionists in our government. It isn’t always, according to MSM story lines, the so-called ‘liberals’, what ever that term actually means, who are wanting the secrecy vail lifted, it is the majority of the American people. Here on eve of the anniversary of this country’s founding, far more is at stake than political games in congresses attempts to govern. The age of false equivalents in journalism are over.
8
Perhaps Democrats in Washington, D.C. are too close to the the seat(s) of power to understand what is happening in this country. This might win a battle but, taking months & months to only arrive at this point while so much else is happening could very-well lose the war. I don't get it. I'm not saying don't pursue this serial liar and his serial law-breakers. But, we need to be able to aggressively walk and chew gum at the same time. It's maddening.
Democrats are relinquishing their narrative and fueling the Republicans (eg candidates offering health care for all unlawful entrants will, 100%, lose the election for us, ergo, the Republic)...more madness.
AOC, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, tweeted this disturbing tweet this morning "And now CBP is pushing easily disprovable lies about members of Congress. Truly nuts. And to think this week the GOP & Dem “Problem Solvers Caucus” fought to eliminate ALL accountability amendments from funding. They just wrote a multi-billion dollar blank check for misconduct." Are we to conclude Democrats are not tightening their constitutionally mandated 'purse string oversight' but loosening oversight? I hope I'm wrong here.
Trump is, literally, unraveling our institutions and who loves it? Corporate america and the rich. Just look at the fundraising story on the front page of today's NYT! We're losing our country and I'm wondering what it will take to get us into the streets to stop the bleeding. I'm wondering if we even can. Taxes? Grow up.
8
If by the White House's definition the request of the release of Trump's tax returns must "provide a legitimate legislative purpose" to inform legislators in making laws, this president's past financial history should be made public. The work history of past presidents was a matter of public record Most had been publicly vetted through previous government experience or through voting as as elected public official.
We now have a president whose public record is not through government service. The financial records of this particular president are the credentials that the American people and our elected officials need to see. The legislative purpose - a law requiring candidates to reveal their tax returns to determine if they have paid their taxes honestly or not.
12
@Anne Doesn't the IRS determine whether a citizen has paid their taxes honestly or not, through mechanisms such as audits? Do I have to release my tax returns publicly for people to determine that I have paid my taxes honestly?
1
@Anne "a law requiring candidates to reveal their tax returns to determine if they have paid their taxes honestly or not."
We have such laws and the IRS enforces them every day. Congress doesn't.
1
Congress is not asking for Trump’s returns to make sure they were properly filed. Even if filed accurately and properly, Congress wants to know if Trump has any conflicts of interest that would affect US foreign policy.
1
Lots of luck. I’m 77 and if I live another 20 years I don’t expect to see the returns. Anyway it’s not like we don’t know what he is so desperate to hide. Even if the returns proved he is a liar, cheat and scoundrel, don’t we already have enough out of his own mouth to know that. The annoying part is that his so-called base could care less, in fact these despicable qualities are what endear him to his true believer followers.
40
An outlaw, especially the bosses of organized criminal families, rarely surrendered to the justice. They should be dragged before the court.
Lock Lying Trump, his children and henchmen up.
20
What took them so long? We have been hearing for months than Mnuchin had to turn them over and inexplicably refused to follow the law.
39
There they go again. Why do democrats insist on spending their time fighting Trump? Do they not understand there are more important things on Americans' minds? Maybe they should ask all those who went home for the midterms and learned what was really on their constituents' minds. It certainly was not Russia.
5
@AACNYWell it should be Russia, as well as other things. The reason Trump is in office is because of Russia. They hacked out system. He only one by 77,000 votes that turned the Electoeal college (another institution that has to go,) in favor of him. This after loosing the popular vote by 3 million.
4
They spend their time fighting Trump because not doing so would set a precedence that a president can do whatever they please without consequences
4
@AACNY Trump represents the highest office in the land and is a symbolic representation of the US. While the American people certainly are first and foremost concerned about getting putting food on the table and paying rent, they still have a right to know if the most powerful man in the world is compromised or a fraud.
5
The greatest living fraud will fight this until they day he dies. His reputation, built on lies, is all he has; in a way, they are his soul. And even if we see a few years of his lies, he will just lie more to cover the cover. At this point, what's the point?
21
How can the Republicans raise so much money to re-elect a man who flat-out lied about his tax returns, and is now directing his administration to violate the law by refusing to turn them over.
Trump said he would release his tax returns after an "audit"--well, there couldn't possibly be any ongoing audit for every single year at this point, so he lied.
Why does he get a pass for all of the many lies that he tells?
35
@Ann
For at least two reasons.
The extremely wealthy, who benefit from the same tax laws and loop holes that Trump does, wants to continue this game for their own benefit. They care not a whit about the well-being of the country nor the working people, the children, the students and the elderly of this country, only the protection and increase of their amassed fortunes.
Second, as PT Barnum, Elmer Gantry and other evangelical preachers and 'snake oil salesmen' know, there is many a soul who will gladly believe what they're preaching and pay good money to hear it. Trump is selling "patriotism", that feel good pablum that helps the uninformed think they're superior to people in other countries cause they're 'Merican'.
Lee Greenwood, are you ready to give 'em another performance of 'God Bless the USA'?
5
One complete tax return would reveal everything we need to know about this man. The return would include the 500 or more partner K-1s from the 500 LLCs of which Trump is a member or managing member. Those K-1s link back to the full partnership tax returns filed by each of those 500 LLCs. Those partnership returns include the names of all the other member/partners of those companies: Russians, Moldovans, Ukrainians, and all the other Russian agents and operatives who are Trump's partners. The LLC returns will also include the identities of all the foreign banks and other sketchy lenders who have bankrolled Trump's enterprises. As an added benefit, one tax return will confirm that Trump has made exactly zero charitable contributions.
94
@Edward I agree IF he reported his income truthfully. As we all know, Trump is not known for telling the truth.
3
@Edward This would sink Trump's 2020 presidential bid. He would not fight the release of these tax returns so hard and for so long unless there is some seriously damning information in them. The tax returns should offer some interesting insights into Trump's only true motives, his own self-interest and personal financial gain.
4
another test for our how democratic our system is, can trump stop this. if trump can not stop the release of his tax returns, that's a good sign. if he can stop the release, that's less good.
11
It is bemusing that the Dems are taking so much time with these lawsuits; Mnuchin refused a month ago to turn over the returns, and they're just now getting around to filing suit? The Dems should be out of patience by now; don't just file a lawsuit, but vote to hold Mnuchin (and Barr) in contempt of Congress.
It seems the House leadership is so concerned about appearances that it is losing momentum, and encouraging
Trump's hacks to resist even more. That means taking the time to ensure the case is well researched and founded, but once that determination has been reached, move will all alacrity to get these people in the dock.
4
Yep, that's the way to ensure a spirit of cooperation . If a President is not required by law to present the tax returns, what's the point?
2
@BorisRoberts
he's not required by law to publish his tax forms. What law says that?
Why does the congress need to audit 1 tax payer in order to enforce irs regulations?
This is just a fishing expedition for material to embarrass the prez. He already supplies plenty of material that would be embarrassing to a normal person.
1
@BorisRoberts It is not President Trump who is required to turn over his tax returns; it is Treasury Secretary Mnuchin. Please reread in paragraph 12 of this article the part about Section 6103 of the federal tax code. It gives Chairman Neal the power to request the federal tax returns of *any* filer. With the understanding that "shall" means "must" in issues of law, Mnuchin must turn over Trump's returns at Neal's request. By law, the president has no say in the matter, and the law does not require a valid legislative purpose (or any other justification for that matter).
4
The Democrats are once again playing softball. The House should most definitely immediately vote to hold Barr and Mnuchin in contempt. Then they need to file their case in court and request an expedited decision so this can be settled well before next year's presidential election. And finally we need to elect a Democrat for president, one who will nominated a legitimate attorney general, one who will demand Treasury turn over Trump's tax returns. And of course by then the secretary of Treasury will be a Democrat, any of whom would gladly comply with the new attorney general's demands.
10
Trump's biography is written in the tax returns.
It's all there: His tax avoidance; false property assessments; FL house flipping to Russians; loans of dubious provenance from Deutsche Bank; and last but not least, Trump's actual wealth.
Small wonder Trump began lying on the campaign trail about releasing his returns, and is lying still, and will continue lying.
Trump has a lot to hide.
60
@Taz
Tell me again which part of a tax return shows the taxpayer's "loans" or "actual wealth"?
1
The truth is that we want a public trial. We want Trump and his republican sycophants to make their best arguments about why a president's tax returns should remain sealed, or shielded from public scrutiny. The inevitable outcome is that Trump's weak arguments for keeping his taxes private ultimately raise the public's suspicions about what he has to hide. Game on!
13
All licensed professions in the US have rigorous criteria for candidates. Police officers are given thorough psychological evaluations; therapists and social workers are screened out for a history of conduct violations; lawyers get disbarred or screened out in law school for flouting the law, either before or after obtaining licensure. Those accused of sexual assault, tax evasion, or public comments of racism, upwards of a single isolated incident, don't typically make it through the front door in these professions.
Donald Trump has been routinely rewarded in his "career" for breaking all the rules. For candidates to the Office of the President of the United States to not be properly screened for criminal history (which requires financial disclosure), psychological profile, etc., is an embarrassment to our nation and the world. The obvious applies here: Why can someone be President with no legal or political experience, when inexperienced/unqualified candidates for professions of psychotherapy or medicine or law requires a degree?
Donald Trump told us exactly who he was when he refused to release his tax returns during the campaign. I have no doubt the IRS has had evidence this whole time of Trump breaking the law; where has the Federal branch stepped in to hold him at least to the same basic standards as lesser professions in this country, of not additional standards, by virtue of the nature of the office?
26
Wish I thought that this mattered but I suspect it won't. He'll somehow skate away from this as he always seems to. The country is lost.
8
@DennisMcG
There are a lot of us who are not giving up so easily.
1
Brace yourself America. On the 4th, we are going to see Donald go nuts on the stage given this turn of events. Talk about raining on his parade. His psyche, so fragile, is going to be blown up by this move.
28
Finally. What took so long?
8
We are moving to a defining moment for US democracy. Congress is requesting Trump's returns under a law that clearly allows it. This same battle for information between the Congress and Trump is playing out regarding the Mueller report. Trump is refusing to provide them because he's determined Congress doesn't need them to do their job. In other words he defines what is a legitimate legislative purpose and what they are allowed to know. If he prevails before the Supreme Court there will no longer be 3 equal branches of government and the essential check on the power of the presidency will be eliminated. America will move to a strongman presidency under a single party rule. Don't think this can't happen here.
52
On the one hand, I don't think Congressional oversight includes compelling the release of tax returns for any reason. The release of tax returns is not a legal requirement to be President.
On the other, I think there's evidence that this President has active conflicts of interest, least of which is foreign emoluments, and this is under oversight responsibilities. I hope they get the returns but word their reasoning properly.
7
@Duffman first of all the relevant section of the law requires that Neal's ways and means committee to hold Trump's return as confidential and not disclose them to the public. You also should be aware of the fact that under this law the President has this same authority to obtain any tax return. Finally if Neal attempted to submit Trump's returns to the full House and thereby make them public Trump would have the ability to obtain an injunction to stop this.
1
@Duffman This one appears to black letter law. There is no reason required. Compelling or not, the chairman of the committee has the right to request such information. See below. However, please note, the chairman or such person is not entitled to release such information.
Section 6103(f)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) reads:
Upon written request from the chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives, the chairman of the Committee on Finance of the Senate, or the chairman of the Joint Committee on Taxation, the Secretary [of the Treasury] shall furnish such committee with any return or return information specified in such request, except that any return or return information which can be associated with, or otherwise identify, directly or indirectly, a particular taxpayer shall be furnished to such committee only when sitting in closed executive session unless such taxpayer otherwise consents in writing to such disclosure.
2
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26/6103 (f)(1) is clear that the Ways chair CAN compel ANY return or return info, whatever the reason. In fact, that part doesn't even MENTION reason, and I saw no limitations for (f)(1) in the section.
It might need to be closed-session, but open or closed the Treasury Sec MUST cough it up to Ways.
2
Don't these obsessed Democrats have anything better to do with our taxpayer dollars?
No one cares. Trump's supporters will continue to support him, regardless of the tax returns. His detractor will continue to hate him.
What is the point of this pointless exercise?
2
@Elfego Normally, I don’t respond to trolls, but if Trump has nothing to hide, why does he continue to try to hide it?
15
@Elfego Its called accountability. No one, not even Trump, is above the law. It is not about changing minds.
17
There wouldn’t be a need for it if Trump did what every other president for the last 50 years has done and released them voluntarily. That he won’t do that proves definitively his contempt for America, even—and especially—for his supporters.
What’s Donald Trump hiding from us?
6
Good. Sunlight is the best disinfectant. Although with Donald Trump and his accomplices, it might be more like tossing handfuls of bleach onto an open sewer.
55
Throw Mnuchin in jail for contempt until he complies with the law, just like they would any other citizen. Mnuchin is not above the law!
625
@Edyee He can stay at the country club on the border as so many FOX scoundrels seem to think it.
4
@Edyee
Contempt for the rule of law must be slapped down, or else! Think about it.
Not enforcing contempt law is an expressway to a post truth autocracy.
5
Good luck on that!
1
About offing time....
5
Time for the Democrats to take off the gloves.
17
Hang on folks, here we go.
3
Dems will bleed Trump slowly till Nov 2020
4
Wait til they find the Putin connection......
20
For too long, Trump had tried to serve as all 3 branches of government and it is all for self-preservation and gain.
It is however a fantasy Republicans share and refuse to curtail.
158
This will prove to be a rich source of embarrassment, but not of evidence that he conspired with Russia. That will be found in his banking records-- most particularly, his Deutche Bank accounts. Where's the House subpoena for those?
32
I’m pretty sure that was one of the banks subpoenaed and it is now on appeal after Trump Organization lost in lower court.
3
Why waste the time? Let's get real about the attack on democratic principles. At this juncture send a real message just have the Sargent at Arms arrest Mr. Mnuchin
378
"Write a comment" they wrote at the bottom of the article. So here are my comments (yes, more than one):
1. "Mr. Mnuchin rejected the request...": is there any way that we, the people, could reject Mr. Mnuchin?
2. The President's tax returns: my opinion is that these should be published the moment someone applies for the job, i.e. long before even the primaries.
3 . As a personal wish, with no legal support that I know of, I would also like to see President Trump's authentic birth certificate(s) (authentic, because "you never know") as well as his successive marriage certificates and divorce papers (again because "you never know").
[I am not interested in vaccination certificates, nor kindergarten grades, nor anything as personal as bowel habits, teeth cleaning, BigMac eating, etc.]
55
Fran, unless those papers have something embarrassing, right?
1
@BorisRoberts Well, it would be good to get anything that could shed some light on those bone spurs. Like whether they existed at all.
3
@Fran
How about his actual body weight?? He seems more and more unhealthy physically as time goes on. We deserve to know his risk of stroke or other neurological conditions before we even consider his proclaimed desire for a “lifetime” appointment.
Authenticity matters to me - not so much to the Fox News crowd that seems ready to promote DJT to sainthood....
President Trump claims that he wants the public to "see his financials" because it will show what a great company Trump Inc. is. Well, simply release all your taxes, sir. But I can't, I am under audit. Bogus reasoning. The IRS has all the information that he is fighting so hard to hide from the public. The only reason it would effect any audit is if the IRS is doing a poor job, or if the auditor has been bribed. Trump reasoning seems to go like this, I have nothing to hide, but I am fighting tooth and nail to hide it from the public, I will go all the way to the Supreme court to continue to hide it, but at the same time I want the public to see what a financial genius I am. I have the receipts but I won't let you see them. Just trust me.
38
Light needs to be shined on the executive branch of our government as the U.S. keeps inching toward an authoritarian regime. The legislative branch appears increasingly impotent in the House and blindly obedient to the executive branch in the Senate.
I am waiting for Barr to go even more rogue and obstructionist.
33
stymie:
prevent or hinder the progress of.
"the changes must not be allowed to stymie new medical treatments"
synonyms: impede, interfere with, hamper, hinder, obstruct, inhibit, frustrate, thwart, foil, spoil, stall, shackle, fetter, stop, check, block, cripple, handicap, scotch; informal put paid to, put the kibosh on, snooker; informal scupper, throw a spanner in the works of; informal throw a monkey wrench in the works of
4
@Michael Jennings
sounds like you are speaking about the House of Representatives. In which case I agree.
1
The house needs to keep putting relentless legal pressure on this criminal republican administration. The time for compromise is past.
201
Steps taken by Dems are necessary to the execution of laws that govern our democracy. The current president is doing everything un american to pursue the job to burnish his personal wealth which he had very little of.
Need, courts to expedite.
12
Expect the returns to be heavily redacted.
6
The American people deserve to know who the sitting president is. This is not too much to ask.
62
@Candice B And who or what OWNS him.
12
To answer your question, Donald Trump is the President of the United States...
1
Kindly post the Complaint filed so that we may review the source.
6
This President's tax filings will show the American public how he is laundering Russian, Saudi and other monies through his property investments, and how much he owes these entities.
The IRS returns will detail who in America and worldwide Trump, Kushner and their crime families are beholden to, and for whom they are doing favors at America's expense.
Follow the money!
27
Not if he has a really good accountant and tax lawyer. They'd never find the info.
Here is another winning plan from the Democrats for the 2020 Presidential Election. Is the House working for the Trump campaign?
7
@P&L Not at all. Cower in the corner? Not what leaders do. Even if legal action does not come from the returns, the American public (those who listen and care) will find out probable criminal activities, let along for a president.
3
Funny that the same office of special council said Kelly Ann was a crook and should be let go. That opinion was ignored but now that office’s opinion is gospel? A case of knowing what I want when I see it?
7
@Sick Of Lies No, the Office mentioned in this article is the Office of Legal Counsel, not the Office of Special Counsel (who sent the Conway recommendation.)
1
About time! No one should be above the law.
5
Since Ivanka Trump is representing our formerly great nation at the highest levels, hers too.
523
Good. And in the to-become immortal phrase on the placards of the anti-inaugural 2017 Women's March in Washington, may we "grab him by the tax returns."
9
Get those and get the truth behind the smoke screen. America needs it ASAP.
9
His financial information is the mother lode that will bring him down. It's vitally important that Congress be allowed to do its job.
54
But, but...the audit! Have they had a chance to finish it?
9
Good. Maybe the embarrassment of everyone finding out he's a fraud will get him to resign.
14
What took so long?!? We are being overwhelmed daily by crises created by the Trump Administration and the old school House Democrats just drag their feet and make excuses.
9
I'd like to see the entire Congress's tax returns for the past 50 years and scrutinize all the capital gains they pocketed via inside information. Hypocrites.
8
@Jus' Me, NYT
Hey! Insider trading is often treated as a FELONY for all of us. Congress exempted itself.
1
@ej cullen
Chris Collins, Republican congressman from NY, might be surprised to find out he’s exempt from insider trading laws as he was indicted last year on just that. Maybe he didn’t get the memo.
@Hotblack Desiaot
The law was finally revisited and adjusted, Hotblack.
Only took 100 years.
1
Here comes the boom!
3
The more he fights it, the more interesting it is.
Something a 2-year old knows but not Dear Leader.
9
How much is the Supreme Court in Trump's and McConnell's pocket? Would opening an impeachment inquiry improve the House's chances? Trump and McConnell cannot be allowed to get away with their abuses of power.
89
The Justice Department "argued that Democrats’ request amounted to an attempt to gain access to Mr. Trump’s finances for political reasons in order to release them to the public."
That purpose – to release them to the public – sounds just fine to me. Why shouldn't the American public know where its president gets his income?
517
Indeed. And the DOJ should know that Trump’s reputation for less than honest financial dealings precedes him.
44
Whatever happened to New York State passing legislation to make Trump's state taxes available to Congress? This is a legitimate step of which the Dems should take advantage. Why do Dems have to be such masochists and go the long, tortured route when a quicker and legal one is available to them - in an environment when Republicans seemingly painlessly & without consequences break one constitutional norm and law after another? When this reaches Supreme Court, are we sure their bought and paid for conservative minority will rule in the favor of the current law?
52
@Marianna Whatever happened to New York State passing legislation to make Trump's state taxes available to Congress?
House Ways and Means Chairman Richard Neal would be the only Democrat allowed by the new law to ask for the documents, but so far he has said he won’t do it.
Why? Because as usual, Democrats have no courage. He is afraid it will make the Trump administration stronger. I am a Democrat. Served 6 years in the military as a FMF Corpsman. At this point, seeing how little our Democrats have no stomach to fight for what is right, I am beginning to think I would rather have a creepy Republican in my foxhole. At least they would have my six. If Democrats want to start taking control they need to take off the gloves and fight. Right now they seem like milquetoast.
7
@Marianna
"Governor Andrew Cuomo still hasn’t acted on the bill. New York legislative rules allow the Governor to wait until the end of the calendar year to act on any bill, so theoretically Cuomo could wait until December 31, 2019. Cuomo may not be very interested in the bill because the Chair of the U.S. House Ways & Means has said that even if the New York bill becomes law, the U.S. House would not request President Trump’s state income tax return from the state."
Source: Ballot Acces News, June 14, 2019
1
It occurs to me that the closer the release of his tax returns to the actual election is better for the Democrats: In both houses of congress & the eventual Democratic presidential candidate - and far worse for Donald - so I say - Rave On!
10
The Democrats took over leadership of the House six months ago. I would have thought this would have been done the first week. I hope they have some kind of plan that I'm not aware of.
142
@Ken
Bingo. Timing is everything and whether we like it or not - ADD America is slowly getting bored with the Democrats nibbling around the edges and the Trump criminal cartel very successfully stonewalling and running out the clock. Obama would be entering his second year in federal prison if he'd engaged in one thing Trump does daily. We. Are. Doomed.
36
@Ken And that they did not bring peace to the Middle East in January is surely incompetency. Six months? That's nothing.
7
@Ken Read the article. Also, a 6 month timeline is nothing for a potential lawsuit that may reach SCOTUS.
3
It’s about time. This “president” cannot be seen as being above the law. It is past time to start impeachment proceedings. This dangerous man must swept from office and prosecuted for his many crimes.
14
As a thought experiment, imagine Hillary Clinton had been elected President. Imagine further that in addition to the Clinton Foundation, she was known to have personal business interests around the world, including projects in countries like Russia. After being elected, she refused to put those interests in a blind trust, but rather allowed Chelsea Clinton and her husband to run the family businesses, further entrusting them with diplomatic missions and high level security clearances. Finally, imagine that President Clinton refused to release any of her tax returns, claiming she can't because she's being audited (which is not true), yet her administration is still the "most transparent" ever.
Is there anyone so naive and politically blind as to believe that the entire Republican Party would not be apoplectic by now, screaming from all corners to obtain her tax returns? Wouldn't Sean Hannity and Alex Jones have endangered themselves with increased blood pressure claiming every kind of cover up and conspiracy?
And yet, the majority of Americans who voted for Ms. Clinton in 2016 are simply supposed to close our eyes to President Trump's business interests and his already documented violations of our Constitution's emoluments clause? If you're a supporter of Mr. Trump, reread this (and any other) story and substitute Ms. Clinton's name for Mr. Trump's. Now ask yourself, would you be okay with the same circumstances if Clinton had been elected?
843
I was at a City Hall meeting for the families of folks killed by cops. The chairwoman (black, liberal) spoke about "decorum" and "dignity" and instructed the assembled bereaved to express their satisfaction with a given speaker by using "jazz hands." The Silence of the Liberals is the SILENCING of the Left by itself.
@Prant
Your comment proves my point. Whatever concerns you or others might have about Hillary Clinton, her speeches, her emails, the Clinton Foundation, etc., only means that you would demand transparency from her had she been elected. The questions I pose are not about Ms. Clinton's alleged misdeeds or some equivalency with President Trump. Rather, they're meant to challenge the naked hypocrisy of Republicans protecting Mr. Trump's secrecy while they would excoriate any Democrat for the same. Even if you view Ms. Clinton and Mr. Trump as somehow legally, ethically, and morally "equal" (which is absurd), that only strengthens my argument.
107
@jrinsc - So true! Furthermore, what an outcry there would be in this imaginary Hillary Clinton presidency, if Chelsea and her husband were doing the stuff Ivanka and Jared are doing!
19
Prediction: Lower court orders him to produce. He refuses, no matter what the court decides. Republican politicians and his base support him. Ultimately, the SCOTUS reverses the lower courts, retroactively endorsing Trump's lawlessness. Democracy, and government of, by, and for the people, fades away.
24
So disheartening to watch the House seek the permission, and mercy , of the courts when in fact its impeachment powers provide all the authority it needs. The neglect of these powers is perhaps no less criminal than Trump's abuse of power.
12
The same law that allows Congressional committee chairs to see anyone's tax records also provides for a five-year jail term for anyone who interferes with the process.
Any chance the Trump/Justice Department arrests Steve Munchkin? I didn't think so.
13
I don’t get it why it should take the courts so long to rule on these critical issues. The facts are not in dispute. This should be a relatively simple case for them to handle. They must determine whether or not the constitution demands separation of powers and if so, it should Congress it’s requests. Time is of the essence. Courts can act very quickly when necessary.
312
@LAM Don't forget the bases are loaded with Republican judges as is the SCOTUS. Trump and McConnell selected all these judges in order to protect Trump, this evil man and our wanna be dictator. Barr certainly acts as his personal lawyer and most certainly does not act in the best interest for this country.
4
@LAM -- "Courts can act very quickly when necessary."
And activist Courts are free to take all . the . time. they
3