U.S. House committee seeks Trump tax returns from IRS

[webfact]

U.S. House committee seeks Trump tax returns from IRS

By David Morgan

 

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Democratic head of a powerful U.S. House committee asked the Internal Revenue Service for six years of President Donald Trump's personal and business tax returns on Wednesday, in a long-awaited move widely expected to lead to a long court battle with the White House.

 

The request, in a letter from Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal to IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig, is viewed by Democrats in the House of Representatives as a vital first step toward oversight of Trump's income taxes and business network, which some lawmakers believe could be rife with conflicts of interest and potential tax law violations.

 

"It is critical to ensure the accountability of our government and elected officials. To maintain trust in our democracy, the American people must be assured that their government is operating properly, as laws intend," Neal said in a statement.

 

IRS and U.S. Treasury officials were not immediately available for comment.

 

Trump defied decades of precedent as a presidential candidate by refusing to release the tax documents and has continued to keep them under wraps as president, saying his returns were "under audit" by the IRS.

 

Trump's former personal lawyer Michael Cohen recently testified in Congress that he did not believe the president was being audited but may have used the audit claim to avoid scrutiny that could lead to an audit and IRS tax penalties.

 

Trump was dismissive of the request but continued to make the audit argument in comments to reporters during a meeting with U.S. military leaders on Wednesday.

 

"Is that all?" the president asked when told Democrats wanted to see six years of his returns.

 

"Usually it's 10, so I guess they're giving up," he said. "I've been under audit for many years because the numbers are big and I guess when you have a name, you're audited. But until such time as I'm not under audit, I would not be inclined to do that."

 

Neal based his request on his committee's oversight jurisdiction of the IRS, specifically its alleged audits of Trump and the extent to which the agency has enforced the tax laws against the president.

 

OVERSIGHT PRESSURE

Congressional Republicans oppose Neal's effort, saying such a move sets a dangerous precedent by turning the confidential tax documents of a U.S. citizen into a political weapon.

 

"This particular request is an abuse of the tax-writing committees' statutory authority and violates the intent and safeguards of ... the Internal Revenue Code,” Representative Kevin Brady, the committee's top Republican, said in a statement.

 

Independent analysts welcomed the move.

 

"The Ways and Means Committee's strongest oversight ability is making sure the IRS is operating properly," said Steve Rosenthal, a senior fellow at the nonpartisan Tax Policy Centre think tank in Washington.

 

It was the third time this week a Democratic-led House committee exerted oversight pressure on Trump. Earlier on Wednesday, the House Judiciary Committee authorized its chairman to subpoena Special Counsel Robert Mueller's full investigation report on Russia's role in the 2016 U.S. election.

 

The House Oversight Committee subpoenaed a former White House security chief on Tuesday.

 

Neal's committee initially planned to request only Trump's personal tax returns. But some Democrats and independent analysts pressed for them to include business returns to better gauge the president's activity in the private sector.

 

The request includes returns for eight entities: Donald J Trump Revocable Trust, DJT Holdings LLC, DJT Holdings Managing Member LLC, DTTM Operations LLC, DTTM Operations Managing Member Corp, LFB Acquisition Member Corp, LFB Acquisition LLC and Trump National Golf Club.

 

A Democratic aide said the committee selected a manageable number of business entities that provide a vital window on Trump's business activity.

 

Although Trump has never released his returns, the New York Times last year cited a "vast trove" of returns and financial records saying it showed he engaged in tax schemes including cases of fraud in which he and his siblings helped their parents dodge millions of dollars in taxes. The White House called the report misleading.

 

(Reporting by David Morgan, Doina Chiacu and Alexandra Alper; Editing by Peter Cooney and G Crosse)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-04-04

[mikebike]

55555... let's get to the oringes of these claims of tax fraud!!

[mikebike]

6 minutes ago, Thainesss said:

 

Whats not mentioned in this article is that this democrat turd actually tried to state that the reasoning for this request was "not political". 

 

Sure pal, sure. 

Yep. Some Dems seem to be adopting long-standing GOP techniques of framing after decades of being lap-dogs. 

[Thainesss]

2 minutes ago, mikebike said:

Yep. Some Dems seem to be adopting long-standing GOP techniques of framing after decades of being lap-dogs. 

 

Glad you agree that this is political. 

[mtls2005]

A few simple questions need to be answered:

 

1.) Are any trump (personal) returns currently under audit?

2.) If yes, which year(s)?

 

 

Then the president must release any returns not currently under audit, as he has said he will do many, many, many times.

 

 

It is understood that Mueller already has trump's returns and that Andrew Weissmann has reviewed them.

 

Like the Mueller report, if you have nothing to hide why not release returns, whether under audit or not.

 

And please don't claim privacy, the president is not an ordinary citizen and should be transparent.

[heybruce]

39 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

A few simple questions need to be answered:

 

1.) Are any trump (personal) returns currently under audit?

2.) If yes, which year(s)?

 

 

Then the president must release any returns not currently under audit, as he has said he will do many, many, many times.

 

 

It is understood that Mueller already has trump's returns and that Andrew Weissmann has reviewed them.

 

Like the Mueller report, if you have nothing to hide why not release returns, whether under audit or not.

 

And please don't claim privacy, the president is not an ordinary citizen and should be transparent.

Actually there is no legal impediment to Trump releasing returns that are under audit.  Trump just doesn't want the public to see his returns.  Odds are he doesn't want Congress to see them either.

[mikebike]

1 hour ago, Thainesss said:

 

Glad you agree that this is political. 

Everything is political.

[mtls2005]

49 minutes ago, heybruce said:

Actually there is no legal impediment to Trump releasing returns that are under audit. 

I understand that, but using trump's "defense" - that he will release his returns once the audit(s) are finished - was my point.

 

trump also seems to be confused about how many years are under audit. Sometimes it's two or three, other times it's 10 or more.

 

Seems like it would be a simple activity to just say which year(s) are under audit. Right?

[Tug]

Thease trumpers are sounding a bit desperate latley

[KMartinHandyman]

There’s also no legal requirements for him to release his tax returns. Privacy protected just like every American. Only a sucker gives more information than is legally required.

[Thainesss]

51 minutes ago, heybruce said:

Actually there is no legal impediment to Trump releasing returns that are under audit.  Trump just doesn't want the public to see his returns.  Odds are he doesn't want Congress to see them either.

 

I like how you framed that - "that are under audit" 

 

Theres no legal impediment at all, audit or not, because hes still a private citizen. 

[Tug]

It’s a nice little distraction for Donald just show them allready lol

[sfokevin]

#con-man-don 

 

Edited April 4, 2019 by sfokevin

[mikebike]

7 minutes ago, KMartinHandyman said:

There’s also no legal requirements for him to release his tax returns. Privacy protected just like every American. Only a sucker gives more information than is legally required.
 

You are, of course, aware that there are two people in the USA who can subpoena any American’s tax returns, right?

 

This is far from a done deal, the judiciary will end up deciding.

[Jingthing]

9 minutes ago, Tug said:

It’s a nice little distraction for Donald just show them allready lol

It's clear he won't ever show them. Even if the supreme court rules he has to, I wouldn't hold my breath either. He thinks he's above the law, and so far, he has been.

[Berkshire]

13 minutes ago, KMartinHandyman said:

There’s also no legal requirements for him to release his tax returns. Privacy protected just like every American. Only a sucker gives more information than is legally required.
 

The House committee is not asking Trump to release his tax returns.  They're requesting it from the IRS.  Doesn't matter what Trump wants.

[ThaiBunny]

4 minutes ago, Berkshire said:

The House committee is not asking Trump to release his tax returns.  They're requesting it from the IRS.  Doesn't matter what Trump wants.

Agreed - https://www.npr.org/2018/10/11/656610711/congress-really-can-demand-and-get-trumps-tax-returns-here-s-how

[lannarebirth]

1 hour ago, mtls2005 said:

A few simple questions need to be answered:

 

1.) Are any trump (personal) returns currently under audit?

2.) If yes, which year(s)?

 

 

Then the president must release any returns not currently under audit, as he has said he will do many, many, many times.

 

 

It is understood that Mueller already has trump's returns and that Andrew Weissmann has reviewed them.

 

Like the Mueller report, if you have nothing to hide why not release returns, whether under audit or not.

 

And please don't claim privacy, the president is not an ordinary citizen and should be transparent.

 

I would suggest, that given what we know about Trump, he is going to "aggressive" in his theories of what taxes he should pay. Given that a theory can extend over many years, ie: depreciation, operating loss carry forwards, capital losses, etc. , it would not surprise me to learn that many years of his tax returns are always subject to his tax attorneys making the case for what he has proffered. Some years may be settled, but I'd be willing to bet no recent years are.

[lannarebirth]

31 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

I understand that, but using trump's "defense" - that he will release his returns once the audit(s) are finished - was my point.

 

trump also seems to be confused about how many years are under audit. Sometimes it's two or three, other times it's 10 or more.

 

Seems like it would be a simple activity to just say which year(s) are under audit. Right?

 

If it's 10 or more someone's looking for tax fraud.

[Kasane]

What's the "origins" man to do? Simple, battle it in courts. He is experienced and adept at it. But if he loses in court, as he should, then his "under audit" gig is up. Many a crook have been tripped up for jail time for financial irregularities and for defrauding the US gov.

Congress: We are going to need the President's  tax return from 2013-2018.

45: No, I am "under audit"

Congress" We never asked you

 

[lannarebirth]

3 minutes ago, Kasane said:

What's the "origins" man to do? Simple, battle it in courts. He is experienced and adept at it. But if he loses in court, as he should, then his "under audit" gig is up. Many a crook have been tripped up for jail time for financial irregularities and for defrauding the US gov.

Congress: We are going to need the President's  tax return from 2013-2018.

45: No, I am "under audit"

Congress" We never asked you

 

 

What if he has a case currently pending before the tax court?

[pedro01]

PMSL - this is so funny. The Mueller report didn't turn anything up - so now the idjits on the left want to dig for dirt in his tax returns.

 

For you guys salivating at the prospect of finding evidence of tax fraud in a tax return - I hate to break it to you - but a tax return is literally the last place on planet earth that you will find evidence of tax fraud. A little common sense should tell you that. 

 

All that is happening is that the Dems want his tax returns to dig for anything they can use against him. So if (for example), the bar in one of his hotels purchased Russian Vodka, no doubt they'd claim it proves collusion.

 

It's a classic witch hunt. They have the man, they just don't have a crime. So they dig & dig & dig. The excuses they use "we just want to ensure everyone is the same under the law" are nonsense. They don't believe that, yet they expect the man/woman in the street to believe it.

 

The Dems remind me of Thai politicians - thinking they will automatically be believed, regardless of how hair brained their excuses are.

 

This is going to cost the dems a ton of votes. Can you imagine the next Trump campaign? He can simply point to 4 years of Democrats doing nothing but chasing wild conspiracy theories. Game.Set.Match.

[metisdead]

Inflammatory and offensive posts and replies have been removed. 

[KMartinHandyman]

The House committee is not asking Trump to release his tax returns.  They're requesting it from the IRS.  Doesn't matter what Trump wants.

IRS overseen by Mnuchin will not comply resulting in another “Orangeman Bad Vs. Angry Democrats” case on the docket.

[bristolboy]

Just now, KMartinHandyman said:

IRS overseen by Mnuchin will not comply resulting in another “Orangeman Bad Vs. Angry Democrats” case on the docket.

except that the Democrats have the law on their side.

Rep. Richard Neal is the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee and instead of threatening Trump with legal action, the Massachusetts Democrat is “invoking an authority enshrined in the tax code granted only to the tax-writing committees in Congress that gives the chairmen of the House Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee the power to request tax information on any filer,” the New York Times reports. “The provision, which dates in some form to the Teapot Dome scandal of Warren G. Harding’s administration, at least on its face gives the Trump administration little room to decline a request like Mr. Neal’s. It only says that the Treasury secretary ‘shall’ furnish the information.”

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/04/ways-and-means-house-tax-code-demand-trump-irs.html

[chokrai]

39 minutes ago, Tug said:

Thease trumpers are sounding a bit desperate latley

Have you heard about the conclusion of the Mueller report?

[chokrai]

26 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

It's clear he won't ever show them. Even if the supreme court rules he has to, I wouldn't hold my breath either. He thinks he's above the law, and so far, he has been.

Have you forgotten about the Mueller report already? 

[spidermike007]

And this is a perfectly reasonable request. Trump no doubt has been cheating on his taxes for decades. And using losses from his many bankruptcies, to avoid paying any taxes. In addition, he was using the foundation illegally. When caught, it was forced to shut down. Also, my guess is he is too embarrassed to disclose how little he donates to charity. Compared to other (so called) billionaires (he might be worth a billion, at best) he gives so little, it would make him look very small. And we all know Trump does not like to look small!

[Berkshire]

5 minutes ago, chokrai said:

Have you heard about the conclusion of the Mueller report?

I've heard that the AG basically buried the report....

 

[WASHINGTON — Some of Robert S. Mueller III’s investigators have told associates that Attorney General William P. Barr failed to adequately portray the findings of their inquiry and that they were more troubling for President Trump than Mr. Barr indicated, according to government officials and others familiar with their simmering frustrations.]

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/some-on-muellers-team-see-their-findings-as-more-damaging-for-trump-than-barr-revealed/ar-BBVB0HE?ocid=wispr

 

[lannarebirth]

4 minutes ago, bristolboy said:

except that the Democrats have the law on their side.

Rep. Richard Neal is the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee and instead of threatening Trump with legal action, the Massachusetts Democrat is “invoking an authority enshrined in the tax code granted only to the tax-writing committees in Congress that gives the chairmen of the House Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee the power to request tax information on any filer,” the New York Times reports. “The provision, which dates in some form to the Teapot Dome scandal of Warren G. Harding’s administration, at least on its face gives the Trump administration little room to decline a request like Mr. Neal’s. It only says that the Treasury secretary ‘shall’ furnish the information.”

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/04/ways-and-means-house-tax-code-demand-trump-irs.html

 

And this ability to examine anyone's tax returns; is it an arbitrary abuse of power or must there be some justification for doing so?

 

https://taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov/taxpayer-rights/right-8