Under significant pressure from progressive advocacy groups, Democratic Rep. Richard Neal on Wednesday formally requested President Donald Trump’s tax returns — setting the stage for what many expect to be a lengthy legal battle.
Tax March, a progressive organization that for months has urged Neal to request the president’s returns immediately, applauded the House Ways and Means chairman for acting.
“We commend Chairman Neal for finally taking the necessary action to conduct effective oversight of President Trump and his administration,” said Tax March executive director Maura Quint.
“While we had hoped this action would have been taken earlier,” Quint added, “we trust that Chairman Neal will effectively and efficiently manage this process to bring the American people answers about Trump’s numerous conflicts of interest, dubious tax schemes, and allegations of fraud.”
Stand Up America similarly applauded the move as an “important step toward transparency.”
#BREAKING: After months of delay, House Ways and Means Chairman @RepRichardNeal has formally demanded that the IRS turn over six years of Trump’s personal and business tax returns by April 10.
This is an important step toward transparency.https://t.co/3Qtqg1Zjza
— Stand Up America (@StandUpAmerica) April 3, 2019
In a letter to the IRS Wednesday, Neal requested six years of Trump’s personal and business tax returns, and set a compliance deadline of April 10.
“It is critical to ensure the accountability of our government and elected officials,” the Massachusetts Democrat said in a statement. “To maintain trust in our democracy, the American people must be assured that their government is operating properly, as laws intend.”
Testifying before the House Ways and Means Committee earlier this year, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin — who oversees the IRS — signaled that he would not comply with a request for Trump’s tax returns, despite what experts say is a clear legal obligation.
“We will protect the president as we would protect any individual taxpayer under their rights,” Mnuchin said.
Asked about the Democrats’ request on Wednesday, Trump said he is “under audit” — an excuse he has used for over three years — and “would not be inclined” to release his returns.
“We’re under audit, despite what people said. We’re working that out as — I’m always under audit, it seems,” the president said. “But, I’ve been under audit for many years because the numbers are big, and I guess, when you have a name, you’re audited.”
The IRS has said Trump can release his tax returns even if they are under audit.
President Trump reacts to House Democrats trying to secure six years of his personal and business tax returns: “Is that all? Usually it’s ten, so I guess they’re giving up.” https://t.co/JuYUW4rNc0 pic.twitter.com/H18gekjLJ1
— The Hill (@thehill) April 4, 2019
Democrats were quick to respond that, under the law, the president doesn’t have a choice.
“We are well aware that the president is not inclined to be transparent, but this is not up to him,” tweeted Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.). “Federal law is clear that our chairman has the legal authority to request and receive these returns and the administration has no legal basis to refuse to comply with this request.”
Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas), a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, urged Mnuchin and the IRS to “promptly fulfill their ministerial duty.”
“After two years of Republican coverup and three long months in this new Congress, today’s request represents a strong beginning,” Doggett said in a statement. “If the president insists that he is above the law and directs that the unequivocal mandate be ignored, we should move forward immediately with legal action.”
We’re not backing down in the face of Trump’s threats.
As Donald Trump is inaugurated a second time, independent media organizations are faced with urgent mandates: Tell the truth more loudly than ever before. Do that work even as our standard modes of distribution (such as social media platforms) are being manipulated and curtailed by forces of fascist repression and ruthless capitalism. Do that work even as journalism and journalists face targeted attacks, including from the government itself. And do that work in community, never forgetting that we’re not shouting into a faceless void – we’re reaching out to real people amid a life-threatening political climate.
Our task is formidable, and it requires us to ground ourselves in our principles, remind ourselves of our utility, dig in and commit.
As a dizzying number of corporate news organizations – either through need or greed – rush to implement new ways to further monetize their content, and others acquiesce to Trump’s wishes, now is a time for movement media-makers to double down on community-first models.
At Truthout, we are reaffirming our commitments on this front: We won’t run ads or have a paywall because we believe that everyone should have access to information, and that access should exist without barriers and free of distractions from craven corporate interests. We recognize the implications for democracy when information-seekers click a link only to find the article trapped behind a paywall or buried on a page with dozens of invasive ads. The laws of capitalism dictate an unending increase in monetization, and much of the media simply follows those laws. Truthout and many of our peers are dedicating ourselves to following other paths – a commitment which feels vital in a moment when corporations are evermore overtly embedded in government.
Over 80 percent of Truthout‘s funding comes from small individual donations from our community of readers, and the remaining 20 percent comes from a handful of social justice-oriented foundations. Over a third of our total budget is supported by recurring monthly donors, many of whom give because they want to help us keep Truthout barrier-free for everyone.
You can help by giving today. Whether you can make a small monthly donation or a larger gift, Truthout only works with your support.