Richard Neal
In the new Congress it will be Rep. Richard Neal of Massachusetts, a deal-focused Democrat, who will have the job of asking for Trump's tax returns. While modern presidential nominees have publicly released their returns, Trump has defied the norm, which Democrats argue must be remedied.
Under IRS rules, there are only three people on Capitol Hill who can ask the Treasury Department for the President's tax returns: the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, the head of the Joint Committee on Taxation and the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. Neal is the only Democrat.
While Neal has said he wants to ensure that requesting the returns doesn't distract from his committee's work on infrastructure, health care and oversight of the GOP's tax bill, a source close to the process told CNN that Neal has largely given up hope that Trump will turn over his tax returns willingly, given comments from the President's allies. Trump's lawyer Rudy Giuliani told CNN that the President would be prepared to fight in court over any formal request.
The source familiar with the process told CNN that Neal is prepared to ask the Treasury Department for the returns in the new year. When exactly he would do it is still under discussion.
Trump's tax returns aren't of interest just to Neal, however. Other incoming committee chairs have said the information within the returns could advance their own oversight.
"I think there's a lot of information in them that would be of interest to my committee. For example, we'd like to know exactly what ... has been the sources of income for this President," said Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland, the expected chair of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.