Trump administration rejects subpoena for tax returns

If I were a proven liar and known scammer I'd hide everything, too.

The question remains, as always: What is Trump trying to hide?

Let's look at this in the simplest possible terms. If you got a subpoena to appear and produce documents, and just decided to "reject" it, your butt would be in jail until you complied.

I have doubts as to whether this would reach SCOTUS. The law is very clear. So clear it would be pretty hard for an activist conservative judge to legislate from the bench by ruling for Donny.

The Justice Department is part of the executive, which does not have the power to determine what is a proper legislative purpose or if that standard even exists in relation to this particular law. That is the job of the courts.

That notwithstanding, this law is as clear cut as contract law. Pure black letter law.

The question remains, as always: What is Trump trying to hide?

In addition to Trump wanting to hide his financial info, it could well be some of those who've financed his campaign also want Trump's info hidden to protect themselves. That would include those who Trump owes money and favors to. Also those benefiting from his political decisions. Also those corporations (e.g. big oil, big war, Wall Street, etc.) Trump's heavily invested in and which are profiting from his decisions.

People like Sheldon Adelson who contributed millions to Trump's election campaign are also contributing to something called The Patriot Legal Expense Fund Trust (Google/Yandex it yourself) which was set up to pay legal costs related to the 'Russian investigation'.

Which country is Adelson a 'patriot' of. Something about last refuge of scoundrels comes to mind.

Again, what is Trump so afraid of?

What on earth is he hiding?

After golf, litigation has always been the Don's favorite pastime, but like everything else it's not something he excels at. Because his butt's protected by his august role as POTUS he can still strut around with his presidential entitlement to be "above the law" while mere mortals like Chelsea Manning are subjected to draconian punishments for defying the bullying demands of a vindictive USDOJ.

Trump lied about being willing to show his tax returns. Sometimes his just lies because it’s pathological, like in the case of where his father was born, but he clearly had no intention of showing something which could either show him up to be nowhere near as successful as he tells people and/or show him up as a lawbreaker.

A con-artist and a liar.

Didn't Chelsea Manning just get jailed for ignoring a subpoena. Fairness not working both ways I see

arrestpaul: The big question is whether, or not, elected Democrats will be able to avoid, derail, stonewall the current DOJ investigations into the "investigation of the investigators" who spied upon/lied about/harassed an ongoing Presidential campaign, and then continued to harass with false accusations based on an unverified dossier, a President for daring to beat Hillary.

For those who live outside the bubble, arrestpaul is referencing the never-ending investigations into investigations, a new trick by the GOP and the right wing media to keep the topic of conspiracy in the headlines with snippets of isolated information.

It's like when the IG investigated the investigation into Clinton's email investigation which was a result of the Benghazi investigations. Now they'll be investigating the investigation into Trump.

Basically, if an investigation 1) doesn't show guilt for a Democrat or 2) damages a Republican then they investigate the investigation, find a few bits and pieces they can throw onto the front page, and keep conspiracy theories alive. So while they tell others to move on from the Mueller investigation they're keeping Strzok and Comey in the headlines.

Texas: President Trump should announce on live TV that he will release all of the requested tax returns 

We both know a proven scammer and known liar will not release his tax returns under any circumstances. If you were that that type of person, would you? I certainly wouldn't.

bass: trying to take a sitting and duly elected President down and weaponizing the FBI on behalf of the entrenched establishment 

Right. It's called a conspiracy, I believe.

Just to be clear....who are you hoping will be caught? Comey, Rosenstein, Mueller, all Republicans. The Republican judges who approved continuing the FISA warrant? The conservative website that started the dossier?

How many Republicans will go down in the end? Seems you guys have a problem over there.

Keep digging that grave, Dems!

Some Dems, maybe even a couple Republicans, are trying to keep Trump, his family and the global elite backing them from further burying the republic established by the US Constitution.

If Trump and his supporters succeed in further undermining the Constitutionally established systems, it will be even more difficult for the next generations to dig their way out of the messes made by Trump and his backers.

It's up to gens X, Y & Z to clean up the messes left by previous generations and made worse by Trump etal.

Lock him up

The law is the law. The IRS must follow it.

This talk of no “legitimate legislative purpose” is nonsense. It is not part of this law.

And all this smokescreening about Benghazi, Holder, Mueller, weaponizing the FBI, yadda yadda, is irrelevant. Congress has the right to ask for a president’s tax returns, and the IRS must comply.

but but muh laws.., sorry your laws don't apply to those white and rich, because they write the laws. see?

@serrano For what? Not violating the law?

Pffft. Laws are for peasants. Not the elite. har har

Well, Benghazi and trying to take a sitting and duly elected President down and weaponizing the FBI on behalf of the entrenched establishment isn’t a few bits and pieces and with Barr now seriously going after this like a bullet on the target we shall see who how this entire fake dossier was started and who might face some serious charges.

We both know a proven scammer and known liar will not release his tax returns under any circumstances.

Right, which he doesn’t need to. Hey, it ain’t gonna make your life richer or put food on your table.

If you were that that type of person, would you? I certainly wouldn't.

I would never give in to my enemies. We all know they don’t need it, the people voted for this President knowing then he wasn’t going to show it and the Dems keep diggIng a deeper hole for themselves, they’ve passed now how many bills through the Senate?

plasticmonkey - The law is the law. The IRS must follow it.

This talk of no “legitimate legislative purpose” is nonsense. It is not part of this law.

And all this smokescreening about Benghazi, Holder, Mueller, weaponizing the FBI, yadda yadda, is irrelevant. Congress has the right to ask for a president’s tax returns, and the IRS must comply.

According to whom? Some anonymous guys on the internet? If elected Democrats wish to push this issue, they are going to have to convince a judge that their request is legal, and legitimate.

Hillary’s IT guy ignored not one but two subpoenas, not a thing happened to him.

In addition to Trump wanting to hide his financial info, it could well be some of those who've financed his campaign also want Trump's info hidden to protect themselves.

Which is their right.

That would include those who Trump owes money and favors to. Also those benefiting from his political decisions. Also those corporations (e.g. big oil, big war, Wall Street, etc.) Trump's heavily invested in and which are profiting from his decisions.

And how is knowing this going to help your life or put more money in your pocket?

People like Sheldon Adelson who contributed millions to Trump's election campaign are also contributing to something called The Patriot Legal Expense Fund Trust (Google/Yandex it yourself) which was set up to pay legal costs related to the 'Russian investigation'.

No big deal, the Dems have most of Silicone Valley and George Soros, which balances the financial donor playing field.

Which country is Adelson a 'patriot' of. Something about last refuge of scoundrels comes to mind.

Always wondered about where Soros’s loyalties reside.

The Trump administration on Friday missed another deadline to produce President Donald Trump's tax returns.

Yep! And they're gonna keep right on missing them. The Dems simply refuse to acknowledge that no one, including Trump, is required to make public their tax returns.

How about focusing on important issues that affect Americans? Nah...

Keep digging that grave, Dems!

Lock him up

For what? Not violating the law?

Chip Star - I have doubts as to whether this would reach SCOTUS. The law is very clear. So clear it would be pretty hard for an activist conservative judge to legislate from the bench by ruling for Donny.

Yes, the law is clear. The reason, and the basis, for issuing a subpoena can be challenged in court. Especially if a biased Congressional committee chairman "lacks a legitimate legislative purpose" for having had the subpoena issued.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a letter that he will not comply with a subpoena from House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal for six years of Trump's tax returns because the request "lacks a legitimate legislative purpose."

Mnuchin's rejection of the subpoena had been expected. Earlier Friday, Neal had said, "We will likely proceed to court as quickly as next week."

The big question is whether, or not, elected Democrats will be able to avoid, derail, stonewall the current DOJ investigations into the "investigation of the investigators" who spied upon/lied about/harassed an ongoing Presidential campaign, and then continued to harass with false accusations based on an unverified dossier, a President for daring to beat Hillary.

serendipitous1 - Lock him up

You'll have to be more specific. I believe Comey has the best chance of ending up behind bars.

According to the article:

Mnuchin's rejection of the subpoena had been expected. Earlier Friday, Neal had said, "We will likely proceed to court as quickly as next week."

Asked if he might seek to hold Mnuchin in contempt of Congress for his refusal to supply the tax returns, Neal said, "I don't see that right now as an option. I think that the better option for us is to proceed with a court case."

In a statement Friday after Mnuchin's decision was announced, Neal said that the law "does not allow for discretion as to whether to comply with a request for tax returns and return information."

In his statement, Neal said he would consult with committee lawyers "on how best to enforce the subpoenas moving forward."

It appears that elected Democrats may be attempting to threaten to take this issue to court.

Trump lied about being willing to show his tax returns. Sometimes his just lies because it’s pathological, like in the case of where his father was born, but he clearly had no intention of showing something which could either show him up to be nowhere near as successful as he tells people and/or show him up as a lawbreaker. 

A con-artist and a liar.

Yeah, like “read my lips, No new taxes,”or “if you like your doctor, you can keep him” or “not a smidgen of corruption” or “I did not have sexual relationships with that woman”or “Mission accomplished.”

They have a whole lot and if the media would have gone deeper into all these people they would’ve found colors and colors of lies, welcome to the world of the politician and business world, nothing new.

Some Dems, maybe even a couple Republicans, are trying to keep Trump, his family and the global elite backing them from further burying the republic established by the US Constitution. 

The Democrats caring about the Constitution? That would be a first. We do live in the land of possible hope.

If Trump and his supporters succeed in further undermining the Constitutionally established systems, it will be even more difficult for the next generations to dig their way out of the messes made by Trump and his backers. 

or the previous administration....

It's up to gens X, Y & Z to clean up the messes left by previous generations and made worse by Trump etal.

Lol, ok...wonder who will clean out the Democrat party, fire all of them and rebuild it with people that actually care about the country and not by trying to win elections by changing the rules or wanting to change the courts or laws to aide them in that.

President Trump should announce on live TV that he will release all of the requested tax returns only after ALL Congressional democrats/RINOs pubically release ALL of their tax returns since being elected to office. They should be more than willing to do so because they are all such honorable standup politicians whom have nothing to hide, right?

So if he lied and people care he will obviously be voted out in 2020. So what’s the issue?

Let's look at this in the simplest possible terms. If you got a subpoena to appear and produce documents, and just decided to "reject" it, your butt would be in jail until you complied.

So then jail him....Barr already laughed in Pelosi’s and said to her directly a few days ago, “do you have your cuffs with you?” The Dems know there is No way they are going to jail anyone. The Republicans tried it with Holder and that went Nowhere as well. So none of these people will lose any sleep over this, but I understand with the ratings of CNN and msnbc, they need the clicks and drama to keep it going...I get it.

Good! Take it to the Supreme Court.