A confidential IRS memo says that Trump’s tax returns must be turned over unless he claims executive privilege over them.
The IRS Memo Destroys Trump’s Excuses For Hiding His Tax Returns
According to The Washington Post:
But, according to the IRS memo, which has not been previously reported, the disclosure of tax returns to the committee “is mandatory, requiring the Secretary to disclose returns, and return information, requested by the tax-writing Chairs.”
The 10-page document says the law “does not allow the Secretary to exercise discretion in disclosing the information provided the statutory conditions are met” and directly rejects the reason that Mnuchin has cited for withholding the information.
“[T]he Secretary’s obligation to disclose return and return information would not be affected by the failure of a tax-writing committee … to state a reason for the request,” it says. It adds that the “only basis the agency’s refusal to comply with a committee’s subpoena would be the invocation of the doctrine of executive privilege.”
Democrats Will Get Trump’s Tax Returns
An executive privilege claim will not stand up in court, especially for the years that Donald Trump was not the president. Trump could try it as a delay tactic, but this memo is the jackpot for Democrats. It proves that the IRS knows that they have to turn over the returns, and they are being obstructed for political reasons by Steve Mnuchin and Donald Trump.
All of the arguments that the Trump administration has made in favor of keeping his tax returns hidden are a bogus pile of hot garbage that has no legal standing. Democrats have known from day one that they would eventually get Trump’s tax returns. This IRS memo will be used in court against Trump. The House case for getting Trump’s tax returns has gone from solid to a slam dunk.
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Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
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