House Democrats say that each time Trump opens his mouth or tweets about his assets, he is helping Democrats get his tax returns.

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Democrats are laying the groundwork to get Trump’s tax returns

Rep. Dan Kildee (D-MI) who serves on the House Ways and Means Committee told MSNBC:

We have to lay an important factual background for the reason that we want to gain access to the tax returns. We had a hearing to establish the clarity, we have the authority to request the tax returns that goes back to the Teapot Dome scandal and the early 1920s. That law is in place. Because we expect the challenge, we don’t expect the president to roll over or Secretary Mnuchin to hand over the returns. He oversees the IRS. We have to be able to defend and what inevitably be a big fight. The reason that we have to request these returns, of course, the president helps with that every time he opens his mouth or sends a tweet. We have to lay the ground work for that. Some have been critical and thought we should have asked for them on day one. I don’t agree with that. I think chairman Richie Neal is doing it right. I think we have to be careful.

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The president made claims of his assets and what his obligations may be. There are other questions that came up for the hearing and even while president, he continues to potentially involve himself in what could have been criminal activity by fraudulently claiming he was paying Michael Cohen for legal services when he was reimbursing him these payoffs to Stormy Daniels. The fact that he never distance himself from his own financial interests the way past presidents have. It begs the question whether or not the president continues to act away in his personal self interest trying to guard his own wealth rather than the interest of the American people.

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Trump’s lies are helping Democrats get his tax returns

House Democrats are expecting a major legal fight over Trump’s tax returns. Trump and the Treasury Department aren’t going to turn them over because Democrats ask. The issue will certainly go to court, and the administration will have to be ordered to turn over the tax returns. Democrats are preemptively building their case for their need to have the tax returns.

Donald Trump can’t stop lying about his assets, which is making it easy for Democrats to use his own lies against him, and make the case that Trump must turn over his returns.

A smart president could hold this up for years, but Trump will be lucky if he makes it months before all of his dirty secrets are revealed.

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Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association