U.S. Treasury's Mnuchin refuses to release Trump's tax returns to Congress

[CaptQuint]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has made it official: The administration won’t be turning President Donald Trump’s tax returns over to the Democratic-controlled House.

Mnuchin told Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal, D-Mass., in a Monday letter that the panel’s request “lacks a legitimate legislative purpose” as Supreme Court precedent requires.

In making that determination, Mnuchin said he relied on the advice of the Justice Department. He concluded that the Treasury Department is “not authorized to disclose the requested returns and return information.”

The move, which was expected, is sure to set in motion a legal battle over Trump’s tax returns. The chief options available to Democrats are to subpoena the IRS for the returns or to file a lawsuit. Last week, Neal promised “we’ll be ready” to act soon after Monday’s deadline.

“I will consult with counsel and determine the appropriate response,” Neal said in a statement Monday.

Neal originally demanded access to Trump’s tax returns in early April under a law that says the IRS “shall furnish” the returns of any taxpayer to a handful of top lawmakers, including the chair of the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee. He maintains that the committee is looking into the effectiveness of IRS mandatory audits of tax returns of all sitting presidents, a way to justify his claim that the panel has a potential legislative purpose. Democrats are confident in their legal justification and say Trump is stalling in an attempt to punt the issue past the 2020 election.

The White House and the president’s attorneys declined to comment on the deadline to turn over Trump’s returns.

Mnuchin has said Neal’s request would potentially weaponize private tax returns for political purposes.

Trump has privately made clear he has no intention of turning over the much-coveted records. He is the first president since Watergate to decline to make his tax returns public, often claiming that he would release them if he was not under audit.

“What’s unprecedented is this Secretary refusing to comply with our lawful ... request. What’s unprecedented is a Justice Department that again sees its role as being bodyguard to the executive and not the rule of law,” said Rep. Bill Pascrell, D-N.J. “What’s unprecedented is an entire federal government working in concert to shield a corrupt President from legal accountability.”

But the president has told those close to him that the attempt to get his returns was an invasion of his privacy and a further example of what he calls the Democrat-led “witch hunt” — like special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia probe — meant to damage him.

Trump has repeatedly asked aides as to the status of the House request and has not signaled a willing to cooperate with Democrats, according to a White House official and two Republicans close to the White House.

He has linked the effort to the myriad House probes into his administration and has urged his team to stonewall all requests. He also has inquired about the “loyalty” of the top officials at the IRS, according to one of his advisers.

Trump has long told confidants that he was under audit and therefore could not release his taxes. But in recent weeks, he has added to the argument, telling advisers that the American people elected him once without seeing his taxes and would do so again, according to the three White House officials and Republicans, who were not authorized to speak publicly about private conversations and requested anonymity.

https://www.apnews.com/ce215295783e419d8896d50bc7907107

[CaptQuint]

[CHEEZY17]

Dont care. I also dont care about bernie's, Joe's or Kamala's

[CaptQuint]

Dont care. I also dont care about bernie's, Joe's or Kamala's

Do you care about the laws of our nation?

[CHEEZY17]

Dont care. I also dont care about bernie's, Joe's or Kamala's

Do you care about the laws of our nation?

There is no law that says a person has to release their tax returns.

[CaptQuint]

Dont care. I also dont care about bernie's, Joe's or Kamala's

Do you care about the laws of our nation?

There is no law that says a person has to release their tax returns.

Tax Code 6103:

Upon written request from the chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives, the chairman of the Committee on Finance of the Senate, or the chairman of the Joint Committee on Taxation, the Secretary shall furnish such committee with any return or return information specified in such request, except that any return or return information which can be associated with, or otherwise identify, directly or indirectly, a particular taxpayer shall be furnished to such committee only when sitting in closed executive session unless such taxpayer otherwise consents in writing to such disclosure.

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26/6103

Law is pretty cut and dry

[CHEEZY17]

So the Dims are weaponizing their positions again, eh? Awesome.

[CaptQuint]

Utilizing a law designed to prevent corrupt Presidents is "weaponizing their positions"

[CHEEZY17]

Yeah, Its not vindictive at all.

[FSchmertz]

So the Dims are weaponizing their positions again, eh? Awesome.

Utilizing a law designed to prevent corrupt Presidents is "weaponizing their positions"

Besides, where do the Rethugs get off criticizing using political power obtained via elections to advance their agenda and hold members of the other party up to scrutiny?

They have had many examples from the Rethugs themselves to follow.

Not to mention the Rethugs have refused to do their job of overseeing this Administration while they were in power, apparently for purely political reasons.

[FSchmertz]

Yeah, Its not vindictive at all.

And the Rethugs don't do the same thing when they are in power, I guess? :sarcasm:

Hypocrites

[CaptQuint]

Yeah, Its not vindictive at all.

LOCK HER UP LOCK HER UP

[FSchmertz]

Yeah, Its not vindictive at all.

LOCK HER UP LOCK HER UP

Why aren't they investigating Hillary!!!!!!

And why was a Kenyan allowed to become President anyway?

(Hypocritical snowflakes with their panties in a bunch.)

[CaptQuint]

Tucker Carlson says Democrats are ‘fascist’ for threats to jail political opponent
Wait until the Fox News host hears about Trump.



Fox News’ Tucker Carlson believes it is “fascist” to suggest a political opponent belongs in jail.

On Monday’s edition of Tucker Carlson Tonight, Carlson warned about the supposed dangers of Democrats’ threats to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt of Congress for refusing to cooperate with the House Judiciary Committee.

“These people are fascist,” Carlson proclaimed in response to footage of Reps. Jackie Speier (D-CA) and Steve Cohen (D-TN) calling for Barr to be imprisoned, a possible — but unlikely — discipline for contempt of Congress.

“Lock him up! Send him to jail!” the Fox News host said in an effort to mock these Democratic lawmakers, with no apparent sense of irony.






With the support of Carlson’s network, President Donald Trump has made threats to prosecute political opponents a staple of his administration and campaign. Trump continues to encourage “Lock her up!” chants about former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at rallies, more than two years after the 2016 election. The president has urged his Justice Department to investigate Clinton and other Democrats in numerous tweets. Trump also suggested recently that Barr should look into launching probes connected to Clinton, former President Barack Obama, and former Vice President Joe Biden.

Barr is facing potential contempt of Congress charges after refusing to comply with a subpoena demanding the full, unredacted report compiled by special counsel Robert Mueller on Russian interference in the 2016 election. The report did not find evidence of criminal coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia, but laid out the extensive ties between the two sides, as well as at least 10 instances involving Trump that may have constituted obstruction of justice.

The document was lightly redacted before being made public last month — and though the Justice Department at the time offered a small number of lawmakers the opportunity to see a less-redacted version, Democrats rejected that offer, because it would have prohibited them from speaking about what they saw.

Barr has been accused of misleading Congress and the public about the report’s findings since giving his initial summary of the report in March. At the time, he claimed the report was a total vindication for Trump and cleared him of any wrongdoing. Mueller initially voiced concerns about that messaging, writing twice to Barr to express frustration that his summary had left out context crucial to understanding the full nature of the report. Barr ignored Mueller and continued to frame the report this way to the public regardless.

Trump’s attorney general testified before the GOP-led Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, but balked at House Democrats’ plan to let staff attorneys ask questions in a separate hearing later. Ultimately, Barr refused to testify altogether, further fueling tensions between the two camps.

(Republicans notably hired outside counsel to question Dr. Christine Blasey Ford regarding her sexual assault allegations against Justice Brett Kavanaugh last year.)

House Judiciary chairman Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) has said Democrats will begin contempt of Congress proceedings against Barr if his committee doesn’t receive the unredacted version of Mueller’s report by Wednesday morning.

It is unlikely that Trump’s Justice Department would pursue a House Democrat’s request for criminal contempt charges against Barr. Former Attorney General Eric Holder was held in contempt of Congress by the GOP-led House over the so-called “Fast and Furious” gunrunning scandal in 2012, but Obama’s Justice Department didn’t pursue criminal charges.

House Democrats could vote to invoke a separate inherent contempt power, in which the chamber’s sergeant-at-arms can detain an individual to compel cooperation with Congress. However, inherent contempt power hasn’t been exercised in nearly 90 years.

[beagleboy]

It's good they are at least attempting to monitor for corruption.

They should run every tax return for every Congressperson through a full audit every year. If they aren't reporting gifts and other benefits or are hiding income they should be charged. It's like people who get paid cash and don't report it to avoid paying Social Security and Medicare taxes - they are an enemy of the people. Washington officials are no different.

[CaptQuint]

Nixon was audited. The IRS said he was fine. His taxes got released. Turned out he was cheating on his taxes after all.

On September 5, 1973, Nixon gleefully announced that he had been audited for tax years 1971 and 1972, and that no additional tax was owed (The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), Sept. 6, 1973).... Thus, Nixon made the September 5 announcement about the results of the IRS audit as a way of presenting some good news to show the public that his taxes and finances were beyond reproach because an investigation by the IRS had found nothing. By inference, he was trying to say that a Watergate investigation would also be a waste of time because he had nothing to hide....The Nixon tax matter would not die. On December 5, 1973, The Wall Street Journal reported the rumor that the IRS was again stupidity his returns....On January 3, 1974, the IRS announced that it would reaudit some of Nixon's returns. In making the announcement, it was clear that publicizing that a taxpayer would be audited was very unusual for the IRS. .....In early April 1974, the JCT reported its findings: Nixon owed $476,451 in back taxes and interest (WSJ, Apr. 4, 1974).

http://www.taxhistory.org/thp/readings. ... enDocument

[beagleboy]

The only proof we have that the IRS audits his tax return "every year" is Trump telling us that no? He's lied that the audit means he can't release his returns.

Don't get into politics if looking at your personal and financial life means you are being attacked.


edit: also the IRS wouldn't be looking to see if income was linked to unethical or corrupt government deals.

[Burn1dwn]

The only proof we have that the IRS audits his tax return "every year" is Trump telling us that no? He's lied that the audit means he can't release his returns.

Don't get into politics if looking at your personal and financial life means you are being attacked.


edit: also the IRS wouldn't be looking to see if income was linked to unethical or corrupt government deals.

It's funny that some people cough..cough Biker think that Congress wants the returns to perform their own audit. It would seem important to see what is in there and how a President's personal finances stack up against his policies and decision making. Of course that is why all recent Presidents have released them on their own.

[beagleboy]

It's funny that some people cough..cough Biker think that Congress wants the returns to perform their own audit. It would seem important to see what is in there and how a President's personal finances stack up against his policies and decision making. Of course that is why all recent Presidents have released them on their own.

Maybe some people are in favor of covering up corruption.
All of the House and Senate need to release their tax returns immediately and every year. Don't be a public servant with a fiduciary responsibility to the people if looking for your own corruption is a violation of your privacy. When they give an oath it should also include a fiduciary responsibility.

[CaptQuint]

So let's celebrate this year's tax season with a look back at broken promises:

2011
During his "birther" campaign of falsely claiming President Obama was not born in the United States, Trump offered a public deal: If Obama released his birth certificate, he'd release his tax returns.

"Maybe I'm going to do the tax returns when Obama does his birth certificate," he told ABC's George Stephanopoulos.

"I may tie my tax returns, I'd love to give my tax returns, I may tie my tax returns into Obama's birth certificate."

He also hinted he might release them "if I decide to run" for office.

2012
With Mitt Romney running on the Republican presidential ticket, Trump again and again offered a bit of advice from one businessman to another: The candidate must release his tax returns, ASAP.


Trump started saying this in January, telling Fox News that releasing the returns is a "great thing" because it lets a person prove "you've been successful, and that you've made a lot of money."

"I actually think it's a positive," he said.

In the final weeks of the campaign, Trump even fell back on his birther deal, telling CNN he urged Romney to release his returns if Obama showed his birth certificate. Trump said it could be "a swap."

2014
The Obama birth certificate had by now emerged, proving that Trump's claim had zero merit.

So Trump devised a new deal: He'll release the tax returns if he runs for office.

"If I decide to run for office, I'll produce my tax returns, absolutely. And I would love to do that," he said in an interview with Ireland's TV3.

2015
Months before announcing his presidential candidacy, Trump assured that he'd release the returns as part of his proof that he "would make money for our country."

"I would certainly show tax returns if it was necessary," he said in a February radio interview with Hugh Hewitt.

As the year neared its ends, and Trump surged in the GOP primary polls, he said he was "thinking about" letting the returns out.


But by this time, he had come up with yet another "swap": He'll put out the returns if Hillary Clinton released her deleted Secretary of State emails.

" I'm thinking about maybe when we find out the true story on Hillary's email," he told ABC News in October.

"At some point I'll release it."

2016
In January, Trump said he and his campaign were "working on" getting the returns out, but it was hard because it "is not, like a normal tax return."

Starting the next month, though, Trump introduced the excuse he'd stay with for the rest of the campaign: He couldn't get them out because he was under a "routine audit" from the IRS.

In various February interviews and appearances, he called the audit "very complicated" but said the returns would emerge once it was over.

But he shooed away even basic questions about his tax rate, telling George Stephanopoulos in an interview that it was "none of your business."

Meanwhile, on the campaign trail, Trump scolded Romney for waiting until weeks before the 2012 election to release his returns, with Trump implying this played a part in the candidate's defeat.

Trump stuck to the audit line right through the election, even saying in one of the presidential debates against Clinton that the returns would come "as soon as the audit's finished."



But by Election Day, the only thing that emerged were pages from his 1995 returns that were leaked to the New York Times. They revealed that, at the time, Trump's businesses had lost nearly a billion dollars, enough to allow him to skirt income tax for up to 18 years.

2017
A reporter asked Trump about the returns in his first press conference as President-elect. Almost reflexively, he replied, "Well, I'm not releasing the tax returns because as you know, they're under audit."

When pressed, though, Trump said for the first time that he simply didn't believe the American public cared about seeing them, because he won the election.

The issue did not seriously resurface again until another leak of his returns, this time from 2005. The White House confirmed the authenticity of the pages even as Trump dismissed it as "fake news."

With April bringing the first tax season under President Trump, protesters nationwide stormed the streets in occasionally violent protests demand to see his returns.

Trump's response?

He tweeted that they were paid protests, and fell back on what appears to be his final answer on the matter: He won the election.

"I did what was an almost an impossible thing to do for a Republican-easily won the Electoral College! Now Tax Returns are brought up again?" he wrote Easter morning.

[VinceBordenIII]

Is this the latest "issue"? Or a rehashed "issue" from before Trump was a Russian spy?
Are they looking for something specific or just fishing?

[CaptQuint]

Is this the latest time the trump administration has flaunted federal law? Did anyone ever accused trump of being a spy? Does the house need to disclose a reason for using their authority? Tune in next time to how the apologists spin.

[Burn1dwn]

Is this the latest "issue"? Or a rehashed "issue" from before Trump was a Russian spy?
Are they looking for something specific or just fishing?

Seriously? Latest issue? It's only an issue because Trump seems hell bent on not releasing them. Even though he advised (tweeted unsolicited suggestions) former candidates to supply them for transparency. This doesn't move your "give a shit" meter one bit? Gee, I wonder why?

[Burn1dwn]

The only proof we have that the IRS audits his tax return "every year" is Trump telling us that no? He's lied that the audit means he can't release his returns.

Don't get into politics if looking at your personal and financial life means you are being attacked.


edit: also the IRS wouldn't be looking to see if income was linked to unethical or corrupt government deals.

It's funny that some people cough..cough Biker think that Congress wants the returns to perform their own audit. It would seem important to see what is in there and how a President's personal finances stack up against his policies and decision making. Of course that is why all recent Presidents have released them on their own.

Why do you think they want them?

To catch him in his sinister lies and corruption. Or at least embarrass him somehow.

Why am I interested in seeing them? To see what his business connections really look like and see if he lets personal financial interests dictate policy. I think voters have the right to know and so did Trump before he was a a candidate.

[FSchmertz]

Is this the latest "issue"? Or a rehashed "issue" from before Trump was a Russian spy?
Are they looking for something specific or just fishing?

Seriously? Latest issue? It's only an issue because Trump seems hell bent on not releasing them. Even though he advised (tweeted unsolicited suggestions) former candidates to supply them for transparency. This doesn't move your "give a shit" meter one bit? Gee, I wonder why?

Remember, this is the same person that criticized the previous president for golfing too much, and said he'd be too busy to play golf.



The only way you can tell if this conman is lying is if his lips move.

P.S. And his hypocritical MAGats and Rethugs say no big deal, we like being lied to, lets vote for him again!