The Supreme court decided on Tuesday that Donald Trump’s tax returns may be accessible to the House Democrats. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts granted a temporary stay in Trump’s effort to stop the House committee from getting their hands on his returns. The stay only holds the returns while SCOTUS considers the request- which means the House Democrats don’t have their hands on anything yet.
On Tuesday, Roberts rejected Trump’s final plea to block the release of his tax records. After The Supreme Court takes some time, there may be some disclosure to lawmakers. The temporary order reads that the application for stay presented to the court is denied, and the order entered by Chief Justice is vacated.
BREAKING: The Supreme Court REJECTS Trump's bid to prevent the House Ways & Means Committee from obtaining his tax returns. No noted dissents.
The brief order may end years of litigation over the committee's efforts to review the tax records of Trump and his businesses. pic.twitter.com/raETmlco4T
— SCOTUSblog (@SCOTUSblog) November 22, 2022
When the Treasury Department refused to turn over Trump’s tax returns to House Democrats in 2019, the case began. The Treasury argued there was no reason for the release at the time. But Chair Rep. Richard Neal (D-Mass) pleaded with the Treasury that the Ways and Means Committee was interested in Trump’s returns to determine if the president’s tax law should be changed.
NBC, the mainstream leftist media, reported that Trump should have made his tax returns public amid criticism of his business affairs. The media outlet continued by saying Trump only turned to the justices after an appeals court in Washington refused intervention. But the court has denied requests from Trump lately.
The former president’s attorneys said the House Ways and Means Committee’s assertion does not stand up to the criticism. Attorneys further argued that the committee does not need Trump’s tax information to find out how the IRS conducts the auditing process of the POTUS. Meanwhile, the House Democrats pushed the courts to reject Trump’s request. President Biden argued that the demand for tax documents reflects a valid legislative purpose.
The committee has a tiny window to receive and comb through Trump’s tax information from the Treasury Department. The Democrat-controlled committee will turn Republican beginning January 3rd since Republicans gained the majority of the House during midterms. It’s improbable that the Republican-controlled House will continue with the investigation.
