Supreme Court Allows House Democrats to Obtain Trump’s Tax Returns
In an epic standoff, the Supreme Court ruled Friday against the Democratic-led House’s request for President Trump’s tax returns. The Court’s decision comes less than two weeks before a major House vote to impeach the President for abusing power.
In a 5-4 vote, the Court said the IRS can release Trump’s returns to Congress in the next 60 days, while also maintaining the confidentiality of the documents. But it added that the returns must be subject to the “heightened interest” the court said the House committee overstepped in obtaining them.
The decision brings an end to the political impasse that has persisted since Trump took office last month.
The ruling leaves more work for House Democrats to do to try to pressure Republicans to release their tax returns before key votes on Trump’s impeachment.
“This is a huge victory for special investigators, and for ordinary Americans who are concerned about their hard-earned tax dollars being used to fund an un-American president,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement. “The American people deserve the facts and there is no justification for continuing to conceal this president’s tax dealings.”
The House of Representatives on Friday launched a formal impeachment inquiry into whether Trump has abused his power by trying to pressure Ukraine to investigate his political rival, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, a charge the President denies.
The House also sent the whistleblower complaint to the Intelligence Community Inspector General, a law enforcement official who investigates allegations of national security threats and illegal activity by government officials, to determine what action should be taken.
Pelosi and other House Democrats have called for the release of the President’s tax returns, following reports that he failed to report hundreds of thousands of dollars in profits. A White House official told Trump’s lawyer this week that the returns are exempt from disclosure under federal tax law.
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