Treasury says it will miss Democrats' deadline for turning over Trump tax returns, casts skepticism

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/treasury-says-it-will-miss-democrats-deadline-for-turning-over-trump-tax-returns/2019/04/10/14319f9c-5bce-11e9-842d-7d3ed7eb3957_story.html?utm_term=.3be187687d49

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By Jeff Stein and Damian Paletta

April 10 at 6:57 PM

Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin said his department will not meet the Wednesday deadline set by congressional Democrats to turn over copies of President’s Trump tax returns, escalating a clash between the White House and Congress.

Mnuchin said he was consulting with the Justice Department as to the constitutional questions raised by the Democrats request and appeared deeply skeptical of the lawmakers intentions. He did not flatly reject the notion that he might ultimately comply, but the letter suggested that Mnuchin would not hold himself to any timeline.

In a letter to the House Ways and Means Committee, Mnuchin wrote, “The Committee’s request raises serious issues concerning the constitutional scope of congressional investigative authority, the legitimacy of the asserted legislative purpose, and the constitutional rights of American citizens.”

Mnuchin’s letter appeared to closely track the legal issues raised by Trump’s lawyers in a letter last week in response to the demand made by Ways and Committee Chairman Richard E. Neal (D-Mass.). Even though Neal addressed his letter to Internal Revenue Service Commissioner Charles Rettig, Mnuchin said he would personally oversee the review. The IRS is part of Treasury.


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