Even though Donald Trump promised to release his tax returns that were not under audit, he never did. We can easily surmise that they are full of conflicts of interest, or worse.
But what we didn’t realize is that legally, Congress actually has the power to obtain individual tax returns and even disclose them publicly, if it is in the public interest (which in this case, it certainly is). And it doesn’t even take all of Congress to do this, it only needs a Congressional committee.
There is precedent for this. Back in 1974 Nixon cheated on his taxes, and the Congressional Joint Committee on Taxation obtained his return, and discovered that Nixon actually owed roughly half his net worth at the time in back taxes. Because this was definitely in the public interest, the committee released both their findings and Nixon’s tax return information to the public.
Interestingly, this whole scandal is what prompted Nixon to famously declare “I am not a crook“.
Of course, all such committees are currently controlled by Republicans, but enough Republicans could get fed up enough with Trump in order to investigate Trump’s taxes. It would only take a single committee. Or else the Democrats could win back either House of Congress and do it themselves.
9 Comments
Trump voluntarily disclosing his tax returns seems to me about as likely as Congress OR a committee thereof investigating the 3 million supposed illegally-cast votes or indeed Trump’s tax returns or pretty much anything that could affect any member of the GOP in any negative way. So, not happening.
As the president might say, “Sad.”
Or repeal Obamacare, for that matter.
They’ve only had seven years, after all, to craft something better with which to replace it.
I doubt anyone but me missed this, but this is the greatest: Keep pissing him off:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/samantha-bee-scotland-donald-trump_us_589c2063e4b04061313bafb7?ir=Politics&utm_hp_ref=politics
I think its ironical that veterans and the majority of the military liked trump https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2017/02/08/the-white-house-wanted-coverage-of-trumps-other-executive-orders-seth-meyers-obliged/
The audit excuse is a ruse and clearly an outright lie. The IRS issues a letter when someone comes under audit, which Gropenfuhrer has never produced. Besides, we’re supposed to believe EVERY year is under audit? If you buy that, I’ve got this lovely Ivanka tchotchke for only $12K I’d love to sell you, no longer available on Nordstrom’s!
Where’s Wikileaks when we really need them?
Ralph, I do believe that every year is or has been, under audit. Look who we are dealing with here. Not exactly a bastion of truthiness is he? It might be the only true thing he has said in the last couple of years. But this doesn’t matter because he will not release them.
I agree with the Wikilieaks comment. What I don’t understand is why someone hasn’t hacked into wherever they need to hack and released them. Don’t we have any good hackers on our side or all hackers Pubs?
Eva, I just posted that video. Thanks! It is awesome.
Because Wikileaks LIKES Trump.
Yeah, evidently. Especially Assange. It was really a rhetorical question, wouldn’t hold my breath.