Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) exposed Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin’s defense of hiding Trump’s tax returns as bogus during a Senate hearing.
After Mnuchin claimed that there was a difference of interpretation of the tax law requiring the IRS to turn over Trump’s tax returns when requested by Congress, Sen. Van Hollen said, ” Just to finish up, Mr. Secretary, I read the letter that you sent, the long letter and memo. First, your letter of May 6th, and of April 23, and in there, you do not appear to challenge the fact that Congress would have a legitimate interest in determining whether or not the IRS had properly enforced the law, and that is the issue. The tax law before us right now.”
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Secretary Mnuchin just wants us to take his word that Trump—who said he was smart for not paying taxes and used tax shelters like a sport—is not getting special treatment?
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That’s the same thing Nixon asked us to do and guess who discovered he was tax cheat?
Congress. pic.twitter.com/lV9KIC1Y9f
— Chris Van Hollen (@ChrisVanHollen) May 15, 2019
Mnuchin has no defense for not turning over Trump’s tax returns
Steve Mnuchin made the claim that the administration’s refusal to turn over Trump’s tax returns is based on privacy, but the President Of The United States does not have the same expectation of privacy as other citizens. The House Ways and Means committee made a very narrow and specific demand that Sen. Van Hollen referenced.
The House wants six years of Trump’s returns to make sure that the IRS is properly applying the audit rules to Trump.
Mnuchin had no answer for the House request because it is on solid legal ground. Trump is going to lose the case on his tax returns because his Treasury Secretary is so sloppy and hasn’t made a legal defense of his position.
I don’t want to is not a valid legal defense, and Sen. Van Hollen showed why Trump and Mnuchin will crash and burn in court.
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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
