Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ) is tired of waiting for the House Ways and Means Committee to request Trump’s tax returns, he said in a statement to TPM.
Pascrell said that “time is wasting” with regard to the request, and added that “the longer we wait, the longer the process could drag on — so we must move.”
Ways and Means chair Rep. Richard Neal (D-MA) is the only Democrat in Congress empowered to request Trump’s tax returns, under a Roaring Twenties-era provision in the tax code that grants him the power to ask for the returns of any filer from the Treasury secretary.
Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin is widely expected to refuse the request, setting the state for potential litigation. Neal’s staff argues that he needs to carefully craft a case to make the returns in advance of any lawsuit to ensure that the Democratic case is ironclad.
“[Neal] has promised me this request will happen and I believe him,” Pascrell said in the statement. “That being said, we’re now in spring and time is wasting. I have urged the committee to dedicate the appropriate time and resources that this effort requires.”
NBC reported on March 1 that Neal was preparing to ask for the returns, as liberal pressure groups and congressmen get increasingly antsy about the pace of the request.
“Americans deserve to know if their leader is compromised and if his decisions are colored by pecuniary interests,” Pascrell said in the statement. “Perusing Trump’s business and personal records will show Congress how far his conflicts go and the extent of any crimes.”
While Trump’s tax returns are likely to provide a roadmap for investigators, experts told TPM that they are unlikely to be a smoking gun.
While Trump’s tax returns are likely to provide a roadmap for investigators, experts told TPM that they are unlikely to be a smoking gun.
Pascrell is right. Trump is all about the Benjamins, so the tax returns are where the bodies are buried.
Republicans do not wait to craft a case for what the law specifically states that they have the power to do. Democrats need to stop f*in around and start to fight.
God almighty, just DO it already. Do something, Democrats. All those young people who came out to vote last November? They’re waiting, as are the rest of us. And how about the 500 candidates who want to be president? How about lighting a fire under some asses?
Look, I am 110% in favor of setting up the “need” for them. But Neil is not doing any of the necessary work. I can think of several set up’s:
(1) get letters from Oversight, Intelligence, and Judiciary asking for them, and explaining how they are needed for ongoing investigations, and lay out why they need them
(2) set up some hearings on the impact of the 2018 Tax cuts, and who it benefits, and show the need to see if Trump himself benefited
(3) set up hearings on IRS budget and lack of investigation of tax fraud, show you need to look at Trump and his audit history given Cohen’s testimony.
All three give you multiple - legitimate - reasons to want Trump’s taxes.
But Neil is not doing any of this. I really don’t know WTF he is actually doing at this stage.
Look, I’m on the cautious/check the boxes side of this (knowing this will end up in the courts) but I am beginning to suspect that Neil lacks what it takes.
Just ask Al Capone what effect his tax returns had on his freedom. Nothing to worry about, right Donnie “Tiny Hands”?