Two Republicans sign onto effort demanding Trump's tax returns

Source: The Hill


BY CRISTINA MARCOS - 03/03/17 10:56 AM EST

Two House Republicans endorsed a Democratic effort on Friday calling on the House and Senate committees with oversight of the Internal Revenue Service to request copies of President Trumps tax returns.

Reps. Mark Sanford (R-S.C.) and Walter Jones (R-N.C.) signed a letter urging the chairmen of the House Ways and Means Committee and Senate Finance Committee to request the Treasury Department provide Trumps tax returns from the last decade.

The [link:https://www.scribd.com/document/340828667/Pascrell-163-Bipartisan-Colleagues-Call-on-Congress-to-Request-Trump-Tax-Returnsletter] was spearheaded by Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.) and signed by most of the 193-member House Democratic Caucus. It argues that letting members of Congress see whats in Trumps tax returns would clear up any questions of whether his business ties offer conflicts of interest.

Trump broke with four decades of precedent by refusing to release his tax returns after becoming the GOP presidential nominee. He cited an ongoing IRS audit, although the agency has said people can still release their tax information nonetheless. Disclosure would serve the public interest of clarifying President Trump's conflicts of interest in office, the potential for him to personally benefit from tax reform, and ensure that he is not receiving any preferential treatment from the IRS, the letter states.

Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/house/322169-two-republicans-sign-onto-effort-demanding-trumps-tax-returns