No sign yet of Trump's tax returns, increasing likelihood of court fight

 

U.S. President Donald Trump talks to reporters as he departs for travel to Texas from the White House in Washington, U.S., April 10, 2019. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The likelihood of a court fight over President Donald Trump's tax returns grew on Wednesday when the U.S. Treasury Department said it would not meet a deadline set by Democratic legislators to provide them and Trump himself stuck to his refusal to publicly release the documents.

 

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, in a letter to the Democratic chairman of the House of Representatives tax committee, said the panel's request for Trump's tax information "raises serious issues" and Treasury needed to consult with the Justice Department "to ensure our response is fully consistent with the law and the Constitution."

 

"The Treasury Department will not be able to complete its review of your request" by the Wednesday midnight deadline, Mnuchin told House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal in the letter.

 

"The legal implications of this request could affect protections for all Americans against politically-motivated disclosures of personal tax information, regardless of which party is in power," Mnuchin said.

 

Businessman Trump, however, in the four years since he declared his candidacy for president, has consistently refused requests by politicians, journalists and others to release his tax returns.

 

He has said he would not do so while they were under audit, but tax and legal experts have said that an audit should not prevent their public release, a practice presidents have followed for decades.

 

In a statement, Neal said he will consult with counsel and determine the appropriate response "in the coming days."

 

Democrats want to review Trump's returns chiefly as part of their investigations into possible conflicts of interest posed by his continued ownership of extensive business interests even as he serves the public as president.

 

Republicans oppose release of the returns, arguing that it would politicize tax data. The returns of U.S. taxpayers are generally held as confidential by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), which is part of the Treasury Department.

 

"There is a high likelihood this ends up in the courts, which is, in a way, unusual because typically when there’s a request like this by Congress, the matter is settled more politically with a compromise," said Jessica Levinson, a professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles who specializes in political process law. "But in this case both sides have really dug in."

 

Legal experts have said that little case law would be available to guide judges if Congress were to take the administration to court over the issue.

 

Asked about the matter on Wednesday, Trump once again said his tax returns were being audited by the IRS. "I would love to give them, but I'm not going to do it while I'm under audit. It's very simple," Trump told reporters.

 

Neal last week requested six years of Trump's personal and business returns from the IRS, invoking a seldom-used law entitling him to make such a request.

 

Mnuchin said in an interview on CNBC television on Wednesday that it was appropriate for his agency to consult with the White House counsel on Neal's request. Mnuchin had said on Tuesday that Treasury Department lawyers had held "informational" discussions with the White House about an expected request for the returns, a step that Democrats criticized as uncalled for under the law.

 

Democrats say a 1924 statute requires the Treasury secretary to turn over tax returns to the chairmen of the congressional tax committees who ask for them for investigative purposes.

 

(Reporting by Ginger Gibson, Steve Holland, Jason Lange, Tim Ahmann and Richard Cowan; additional reporting by Susan Heavey; writing by Meredith Mazzilli and Eric Beech; editing by Bernadette Baum and Grant McCool)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-04-11

Two developments.

 

1. Steve Mnuchin has just made a blatant interference on Trump’s behalf that puts Mnuchin in legal jeopardy (will Trump’s lackies ever learn).

 

2. NY State have independently set their sights on Trump’s NY State tax returns.

 

Trump will get to keep his campaign promise to release his taxes.

3 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Two developments.

 

1. Steve Mnuchin has just made a blatant interference on Trump’s behalf that puts Mnuchin in legal jeopardy (will Trump’s lackies ever learn).

 

2. NY State have independently set their sights on Trump’s NY State tax returns.

 

Trump will get to keep his campaign promise to release his taxes.

Hopefully, but on the other hand this legal battle could last for years.

Shall means shall!

Trump is never going to produce his tax returns so those who continue to look for something / anything to use to *get* Trump need to pound sand. 

the IRS is under no legal obligation to produce tax records.

nothing to look at, move along please to the next Trump drama.

39 minutes ago, Boon Mee said:

Trump is never going to produce his tax returns so those who continue to look for something / anything to use to *get* Trump need to pound sand. 

All our dear Trump backers: why aren't you holding his feet to the fire over his returns? He promised he would release them. And please don't use the lame and false argument "he's under audit and can't" which is a lie. Obama released his every year and IRS audits every President's tax returns. Once you sign and turn in, that's it unless you later submit an amended return.

So rather than defending a person who flat out lied to you, why don't you press him on this?

11 minutes ago, wombat said:

the IRS is under no legal obligation to produce tax records.

nothing to look at, move along please to the next Trump drama.

We will see if trump's business activities will see sunlight by way of State investigations. Given prior boasts by trump & family members and so on personally I would be astonished if the guy is clear of criminal activities. It has been noted US money laundering law had been rather weak, we will see, but at the very least it will demonstrate trump's complete lack of ethics in dealing with criminal corrupt foreign and US nationals; allegations made by investigative journalists and at least one foreign Federal Police force (Australia) 

43 minutes ago, Boon Mee said:

Trump is never going to produce his tax returns so those who continue to look for something / anything to use to *get* Trump need to pound sand. 

You seem to have missed the point.

 

Nobody is asking Trump to handover his tax returns, it’s no longer in his hands.

7 hours ago, webfact said:

"The Treasury Department will not be able to complete its review of your request"

It is NOT the business of Treasury to review the request.

Under a long-standing delegation order, the Secretary [of the Treasury] does not get involved in taxpayer-specific matters and has delegated to the IRS Commissioner as follows:

"The Commissioner of Internal Revenue shall be responsible for the administration and enforcement of the Internal Revenue laws."

The IRS Commissioner is a Senate confirmed position, no less important than the Secretary of Treasury.

the IRS is under no legal obligation to produce tax records.

 

nothing to look at, move along please to the next Trump drama.

Shall means shall. The so called law and order president has dodged the law all his life and he continues with that. If he is not reelected he'll be escorted from the white house in handcuffs.

 

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All our dear Trump backers: why aren't you holding his feet to the fire over his returns? He promised he would release them. And please don't use the lame and false argument "he's under audit and can't" which is a lie. Obama released his every year and IRS audits every President's tax returns. Once you sign and turn in, that's it unless you later submit an amended return.
So rather than defending a person who flat out lied to you, why don't you press him on this?

Because they know he's dirty too and they don't care.

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Trump isn't actually under any obligation to produce his tax returns at all ... it's just that all presidents have done so since the 70s, but that doesn't mean he has to. 

Just now, Brigand said:

Trump isn't actually under any obligation to produce his tax returns at all ... it's just that all presidents have done so since the 70s, but that doesn't mean he has to. 

Trump isn’t being asked for his tax returns.

 

He has no say in the matter.

He got elected without showing them. That is on the voters. 

5 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Trump isn’t being asked for his tax returns.

 

He has no say in the matter.

Funny, there's that entitled lefty thinking again. Despite many thinking he should, he is not legally bound to do so and you can expect it to be challenged all the way up to the top. Dream on Mr. Higgot. He is probably more likely to get legal recourse if he does release them haha.

1 minute ago, direction BANGKOK said:

He got elected without showing them. That is on the voters. 

Most of whom did not vote for Trump.

Funny, there's that entitled lefty thinking again. Despite many thinking he should, he is not legally bound to do so and you can expect it to be challenged all the way up to the top. Dream on Mr. Higgot. He is probably more likely to get legal recourse if he does release them haha.

AFAIK people following their leader no matter what are called lemmings.

Right over the abyss.

Then they're never heard of again.



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10 hours ago, webfact said:

Asked about the matter on Wednesday, Trump once again said his tax returns were being audited by the IRS. "I would love to give them, but I'm not going to do it while I'm under audit. It's very simple," Trump told reporters. 

yeahp... if my pig could fly it would be an eagle.... liar liar burn on fire, if you have (as you claim) nothing to hide why worry, let them see the dam returns

5 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Two developments.

 

1. Steve Mnuchin has just made a blatant interference on Trump’s behalf that puts Mnuchin in legal jeopardy (will Trump’s lackies ever learn).

 

2. NY State have independently set their sights on Trump’s NY State tax returns.

 

Trump will get to keep his campaign promise to release his taxes.

wish you were right, am with you

4 hours ago, wombat said:

the IRS is under no legal obligation to produce tax records.

nothing to look at, move along please to the next Trump drama.

he said nothing to hide..... thus should be ok to take a pick, just for fun

Trump isn't actually under any obligation to produce his tax returns at all ... it's just that all presidents have done so since the 70s, but that doesn't mean he has to. 

To the public. No. To congress yes if requested. Shall means shall. There is no ambiguity whatsoever.

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The voters in 2018 which last time I checked is more recent than 2016 the voters said yes congress do your constitutional duty and perform oversight over this corrupt unhinged potus. Shall means shall. End of.

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It can probably be challenged and appealed by good lawyers for years and if it ends up in the SC then we all know which way the 5-4 falls presently.

13 minutes ago, Brigand said:

It can probably be challenged and appealed by good lawyers for years and if it ends up in the SC then we all know which way the 5-4 falls presently.

Very much doubt the SC would vote 5-4 on this. Where laws can be interpreted in several ways that would be possible, in a straight forward case like this, where the law is clear, just one person trying to disobey the law, 9-0 seems more likely.

2 hours ago, Srikcir said:

It is NOT the business of Treasury to review the request.

Under a long-standing delegation order, the Secretary [of the Treasury] does not get involved in taxpayer-specific matters and has delegated to the IRS Commissioner as follows:

"The Commissioner of Internal Revenue shall be responsible for the administration and enforcement of the Internal Revenue laws."

The IRS Commissioner is a Senate confirmed position, no less important than the Secretary of Treasury.

So.... if he isn’t already an  “acting” IRS commissioner, I suppose we can expect to see yet another top civil servants head rolling down the aisle, to be replaced by yet another unconfirmed actor.

58 minutes ago, direction BANGKOK said:

He got elected without showing them. That is on the voters. 

He got elected, promising he would show his tax returns..... slightly different dynamic there.... and not “on” the voter, at all

 

whats “on” the voter, moving forward, is believing any other claims or promises, made by the liar in chief.

 

promises broken.... MAGA.... lie by lie.

1 minute ago, farcanell said:

He got elected, promising he would show his tax returns..... slightly different dynamic there.... and not “on” the voter, at all

 

whats “on” the voter, moving forward, is believing any other claims or promises, made by the liar in chief.

 

promises broken.... MAGA.... lie by lie.

He is a real estate developer no one expected to see his tax returns or that he tell the truth.  Real Estate Developer same same used car salesman only more so.  Everyone who voted for him knew this and they will vote for him again because they don't care.  His approval ratings at 51%

8 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

He is a real estate developer no one expected to see his tax returns or that he tell the truth.  Real Estate Developer same same used car salesman only more so.  Everyone who voted for him knew this and they will vote for him again because they don't care.  His approval ratings at 51%

https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/trump-approval-ratings/

 

same same what used items did you used to sell?

 

Anyway.... So... no one expected that the president of those United States would tell the truth? Really?

 

Right there is another reason why the rest of the world should worry about the most powerful man on the world... elected by people who don’t care about the truth, honesty or integrity of their leader and their country

 

 

He is a real estate developer no one expected to see his tax returns or that he tell the truth.  Real Estate Developer same same used car salesman only more so.  Everyone who voted for him knew this and they will vote for him again because they don't care.  His approval ratings at 51%

51 percent?
Nope.

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51 percent?Nope.

 

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Yes I know 45 Twitter posts that distorted garbage. 

The actual composite number.

 

About 42 percent.

 

Yuge difference.

 

https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/trump-approval-ratings/?ex_cid=rrpromo

 

 

How unpopular

is Donald Trump?

 

An updating calculation of the president's approval rating, accounting for each poll's quality, recency, sample size and partisan lean.

 

 

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