Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin failed to meet a House Democratic deadline to turn over President Trump’s tax returns, and Democrats are talking to their lawyers about what comes next.
Democrats sound ready to sue to get Trump’s tax returns
The House Ways and Means Committee gave the administration one week to turn over six years of Trump’s personal and business tax returns, but the Treasury Department is stalling for more time.
Here is the letter that Mnuchin sent back to Ways and Means Committee Chairman Rep. Richard Neal:
Secretary Mnuchin’s response to Chairman Neal’s letter requesting President Trump’s tax returns: pic.twitter.com/X2VsDYKpYh
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— Tony Sayegh (@TreasurySpox) April 10, 2019
In a statement provided to PoliticusUSA, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal (D-MA) said, “I received a letter this evening from Secretary Mnuchin related to my request to the IRS commissioner. The department has decided not to allow the IRS to comply with my request by the April 10 deadline. I will consult with counsel and determine the appropriate response to the commissioner in the coming days.â€
Neal’s statement sounds like there is legal action potentially coming soon to get Trump’s tax returns. Being that the IRS is compelled by law to turn over the returns, this matter will end up in court if the White House continues to ignore the Ways and Means request.
Democrats were prepared for Trump to stall on his tax returns
The Trump strategy across the board has been to stall Democratic document requests to slow down oversight.
Sec. Mnuchin called the request made by Democrats unprecedented, but what he failed to mention is that every president post-Richard Nixon has voluntarily made their tax returns public. The unprecedented part is that Trump has refused to make his tax returns public, and forced Congress to request them.
The White House also continues to leave out the fact that Democrats want the tax returns as part of their oversight of the IRS. The tax returns were requested as part of an investigation into whether or not the IRS is properly auditing the president. Trump claims that his tax returns are being audited, and Congress wants to know what is taking the IRS so long to finish Trump’s audit.
Democrats are going to go to court to get Trump’s tax returns if the IRS doesn’t follow the law, and they are likely to win.
The letter to Democrats from the Treasury Department was more delay tactics from a president and administration who are afraid to make the Trump returns public, but Democrats are looking increasingly ready to go to court to fight for the release of Trump’s tax returns.
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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
