SCOTUS Blocks Congress Access to Trump Tax Returns
(TheRedWire.com) – For years, congressional Democrats have wanted to get their hands on former President Donald Trump’s tax records after he refused to release them as a presidential candidate in 2016 and 2020. In 2019, the powerful House Committee on Ways and Means requested six years of his tax returns. In 2021, the Department of Justice (DOJ) argued that Congress had a right to review the documents. After numerous failed appeals by the Trump legal team, the US Supreme Court blocked Congress’ access to his tax returns, at least temporarily.
In December 2021, Judge Trevor McFadden ruled in US District Court that the former president should provide his tax returns to the House committee, or the committee could obtain them directly from the IRS. In August 2022, the DC Circuit Court of Appeals concurred with the district judge’s opinion. In late October, the full appeals court refused to stop the release.
BREAKING: Chief Justice John Roberts has temporarily blocked a House committee from obtaining Trump's tax returns. https://t.co/5qAPMnUKtG pic.twitter.com/bFtso0Q671
— Axios (@axios) November 1, 2022
On Monday, October 31, Trump’s legal team filed an emergency appeal with the Supreme Court, and Chief Justice John Roberts sided with the former president. Roberts’ stay temporarily blocks the Treasury Department from releasing the tax records to Democrats on the panel.
The Chief Justice’s decision said it was “pending further order of the undersigned or of the Court.” He gave the House committee until November 10 to reply to Trump’s request. On Tuesday, a spokesperson for the panel said they would respond and that members looked forward to the Justices’ “expeditious consideration.”
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