Key House Chairman Says He Won’t Order Treasury To Release Trump’s Taxes

UNITED STATES - OCTOBER 28: Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, arrives for the House Republican Conference meeting to vote on their nominee for Speaker of the House on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2015. (Photo By Bill Clark/CQ Roll C... UNITED STATES - OCTOBER 28: Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, arrives for the House Republican Conference meeting to vote on their nominee for Speaker of the House on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2015. (Photo By Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call) (CQ Roll Call via AP Images) MORE LESS
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House Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady (R-TX) said that he will not order the Treasury Department to provide President Donald Trump’s tax returns to his committee.

“If Congress begins to use its powers to rummage around in the tax returns of the President, what prevents Congress from doing the same to average Americans?” Brady wrote in a statement obtained by TPM on Tuesday. “Privacy and civil liberties are still important rights in this country and the Ways and Means Committee is not going to start to weaken them.”

Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-NJ) called on Brady earlier in February to order the Treasury Department to provide 10 years of Trump’s tax returns to the House Ways and Means Committee.

“I believe the powerful Ways and Means Committee has the responsibility to use that power to ensure proper oversight of the executive branch by requesting a review of President Trump’s tax returns,” Pascrell wrote.

Brady said in his statement that he disagrees with “all of” Pascrell’s argument.

“I’ve read his letter and I disagree with all of it,” Brady wrote. “That letter misrepresents the legislative intent of that provision, which in fact creates confidentiality and privacy for Americans in their tax returns.”

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