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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsDemocrats planning to examine Trump's tax returns after the midterms
Democrats planning to examine Trumps tax returns after the midterms
A nearly 100-year old statute allows the chairmen of Congress tax committees to look at anyones returns.
By BRIAN FALER
09/29/2018 08:00 AM EDT
The years-old mystery of whats in President Donald Trumps tax returns will likely quickly unravel if Democrats win control of at least one chamber of Congress.
Democrats, especially in the House, are quietly planning on using an obscure law that will enable them to examine the presidents tax filings without his permission.
The nearly 100-year-old statute allows the chairmen of Congress tax committees to look at anyones returns, and Democrats say they intend to use that power to help answer a long list of questions about Trumps finances. Many also want to use it to make public confidential information about Trumps taxes that hes steadfastly refused to release.
That could bring a swift end to the long-running battle over Trumps returns, while generating loads of fodder for what promises to be an array of investigations into the administration if Democrats win power.
more...
https://www.politico.com/story/2018/09/29/trumps-tax-returns-midterms-democrats-853456
calimary
(81,350 posts)YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES!
Did I remember to shout out a good loud "YES!!!"?
trueblue2007
(17,230 posts)right on !!!!! right on right on righttttttttttttttttttttttt on !!!!!!
right on !!!!! right on right on righttttttttttttttttttttttt on !!!!!!
right on !!!!! right on right on righttttttttttttttttttttttt on !!!!!!
right on !!!!! right on right on righttttttttttttttttttttttt on !!!!!!right on !!!!! right on right on righttttttttttttttttttttttt on !!!!!!right on !!!!! right on right on righttttttttttttttttttttttt on !!!!!!right on !!!!! right on right on righttttttttttttttttttttttt on !!!!!!right on !!!!! right on right on righttttttttttttttttttttttt on !!!!!!
RainCaster
(10,892 posts)Oh yeah!
dalton99a
(81,534 posts)eleny
(46,166 posts)Elections matter.
pecosbob
(7,542 posts)Blue_true
(31,261 posts)But it is what it is, when voting we need to match their intensity and then some. We have the numbers when we deploy them, numbers that they can't match.
pecosbob
(7,542 posts)struggle4progress
(118,313 posts)~snip~
(f) Disclosure to Committees of Congress
(1) Committee on Ways and Means, Committee on Finance, and Joint Committee on Taxation
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.
(2) Chief of Staff of Joint Committee on Taxation
Upon written request by the Chief of Staff of the Joint Committee on Taxation, the Secretary shall furnish him with any return or return information specified in such request. Such Chief of Staff may submit such return or return information to any committee described in paragraph (1), 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.
(3) Other committees
Pursuant to an action by, and upon written request by the chairman of, a committee of the Senate or the House of Representatives (other than a committee specified in paragraph (1)) specially authorized to inspect any return or return information by a resolution of the Senate or the House of Representatives or, in the case of a joint committee (other than the joint committee specified in paragraph (1)) by concurrent resolution, the Secretary shall furnish such committee, or a duly authorized and designated subcommittee thereof, sitting in closed executive session, with any return or return information which such resolution authorizes the committee or subcommittee to inspect. Any resolution described in this paragraph shall specify the purpose for which the return or return information is to be furnished and that such information cannot reasonably be obtained from any other source.
(4) Agents of committees and submission of information to Senate or House of Representatives
(A) Committees described in paragraph (1)
Any committee described in paragraph (1) or the Chief of Staff of the Joint Committee on Taxation shall have the authority, acting directly, or by or through such examiners or agents as the chairman of such committee or such chief of staff may designate or appoint, to inspect returns and return information at such time and in such manner as may be determined by such chairman or chief of staff. Any return or return information obtained by or on behalf of such committee pursuant to the provisions of this subsection may be submitted by the committee to the Senate or the House of Representatives, or to both. The Joint Committee on Taxation may also submit such return or return information to any other committee described in paragraph (1), 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.
(B) Other committees
Any committee or subcommittee described in paragraph (3) shall have the right, acting directly, or by or through no more than four examiners or agents, designated or appointed in writing in equal numbers by the chairman and ranking minority member of such committee or subcommittee, to inspect returns and return information at such time and in such manner as may be determined by such chairman and ranking minority member. Any return or return information obtained by or on behalf of such committee or subcommittee pursuant to the provisions of this subsection may be submitted by the committee to the Senate or the House of Representatives, or to both, 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 the Senate or the House of Representatives only when sitting in closed executive session unless such taxpayer otherwise consents in writing to such disclosure.
(5) Disclosure by whistleblower
Any person who otherwise has or had access to any return or return information under this section may disclose such return or return information to a committee referred to in paragraph (1) or any individual authorized to receive or inspect information under paragraph (4)(A) if such person believes such return or return information may relate to possible misconduct, maladministration, or taxpayer abuse.
~snip~
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26/6103
nitpicker
(7,153 posts)I was wondering where this loophole was.
Jersey Devil
(9,874 posts)Poof go the tax returns.
Hermit-The-Prog
(33,379 posts)Keep the Gangsters Of Putin busy cleaning up for dirty Donnie. Let him stew in his paranoia in the meantime, and scream at the GOPers to fix things for him.
They will have less time to damage the rest of us.
nitpicker
(7,153 posts)Until then, I'm not wasting too much time on how-to-get-at-Trump rabbit holes.