Supreme Court refuses to block release of Trump's tax returns to House committee
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The U.S. Supreme Court has refused to block the release of former President Donald Trump’s tax returns to the House Ways and Means Committee.
In a Nov. 22 order, the Supreme Court denied an emergency application to block release of the records, report the New York Times, the Washington Post, CNN and Politico. No dissents were noted.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit had ruled in August that the committee could obtain the returns because it identified a legitimate legislative purpose, and its request did not impose an excessive burden. The full D.C. Circuit refused to hear the case last month.
The committee said it wants the returns to review the presidential audit process. Lawyers for Trump contended that the committee’s real reason for seeking the returns “has nothing to do with funding or staffing issues at the IRS and everything to do with releasing the president’s tax information to the public.”
Chief Justice John Roberts had temporarily blocked release of the returns Nov. 1, a move that allowed the full court to consider Trump’s request. The high court’s Nov. 22 order vacates Roberts’ order.
According to Politico, the new order “will likely represent the end of the legal fight, allowing Democrats to gain access to Trump’s returns and possibly to release them before Republicans take control of the House in January.”
See also:
ABAJournal.com: “Treasury must provide Congress with Trump’s tax returns, Justice Department says in legal opinion”
ABAJournal.com: “Did publication of Donald Trump’s tax return information violate the law?”
ABAJournal.com: “Trump sues niece for disclosing his tax records and the New York Times for encouraging it”
