Law360 (April 3, 2019, 6:27 PM EDT) -- The Democratic chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee on Wednesday asked the Internal Revenue Service to furnish President Donald Trump’s tax return information for the past six years, taking...

To view the full article, register now. </s> WASHINGTON, D.C., USA — A House committee chairman has formally requested the IRS provide six years of President Donald Trump's personal and business tax returns as Democrats try to shed light on his complex financial dealings and potential conflicts of interest.

The request Wednesday by Massachusetts Rep. Richard Neal, who heads the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee, is the first such demand for a sitting president's tax information in 45 years. The unprecedented move is likely to set off a huge legal battle between Democrats controlling the House and the Trump administration.

Neal made the request in a letter to IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig, asking for Trump's personal and business returns for 2013 through 2018.

When reporters asked the president about the request for his tax returns, he again said that he's "under audit" and would not be inclined to hand over his tax returns until he's no longer being audited. </s> FILE PHOTO - U.S. President Donald Trump arrives to speak at the National Republican Congressional Committee Annual Spring Dinner in Washington, U.S., April 2, 2019. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal has asked the Internal Revenue Service to provide six years of President Donald Trump's personal and business tax returns.

"We have completed the necessary groundwork for a request of this magnitude and I am certain we are within our legitimate legislative, legal, and oversight rights," Neal said in a statement on Wednesday announcing the request.

Neal, who is the only House of Representatives member authorized by law to request Trump's returns, has been under pressure to act from some Democratic lawmakers and outside groups.

U.S. Treasury officials were not immediately available for comment.

Trump defied decades of precedent as a presidential candidate by refusing to release the tax documents and has continued to keep them under wraps as president, saying his returns were under audit by the IRS.

Democrats hope that obtaining the returns will allow them to identify any conflicts of interest posed by Trump’s global business empire.

Republicans oppose the effort, saying such a move would set a dangerous precedent by turning the confidential tax documents of a U.S. citizen into a political weapon. </s> July 2 (UPI) -- The House Ways and Means Committee sued the Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service Tuesday to get President Donald Trump's federal tax returns.

The panel, led by Democrats, had asked for more than six years of Trump's personal and business tax returns, going as far as issuing subpoenas for the records. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and IRS head Charles Rettig rebuffed the request.

The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., claiming that Mnuchin, Rettig and their departments "have now - for what the committee believes is the first time ever - denied a Section 6103(f) request in order to shield President Trump's tax return information from Congressional scrutiny."

Democrats have said the federal tax code gives Congress the right to receive the records on request.

"In refusing to comply with the statute, defendants have mounted an extraordinary attack on the authority of Congress to obtain information needed to conduct oversight of Treasury, the IRS, and the tax laws on behalf of the American people who participate in the nation's voluntary tax system," the suit said.

In a letter to Ways and Means chairman Richard Neal, D-Mass., in May, Mnuchin said Democrats were "weaponizing" the IRS to simply attack Trump politically and receiving his tax returns had no value.

"In reliance on the advice of the Department of Justice, we have determined that the committee's request lacks a legitimate legislative purpose, and ... the department is therefore not authorized to disclose the requested returns and return information," Mnuchin said in the letter. </s> WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal has asked the Internal Revenue Service to provide six years of President Donald Trump's personal and business tax returns.

"We have completed the necessary groundwork for a request of this magnitude and I am certain we are within our legitimate legislative, legal, and oversight rights," Neal said in a statement on Wednesday announcing the request.

Neal, who is the only House of Representatives member authorized by law to request Trump's returns, has been under pressure to act from some Democratic lawmakers and outside groups.

U.S. Treasury officials were not immediately available for comment.

Trump defied decades of precedent as a presidential candidate by refusing to release the tax documents and has continued to keep them under wraps as president, saying his returns were under audit by the IRS.

Democrats hope that obtaining the returns will allow them to identify any conflicts of interest posed by Trump’s global business empire.

Republicans oppose the effort, saying such a move would set a dangerous precedent by turning the confidential tax documents of a U.S. citizen into a political weapon.

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.

Firstpost is now on WhatsApp. For the latest analysis, commentary and news updates, sign up for our WhatsApp services. Just go to Firstpost.com/Whatsapp and hit the Subscribe button. </s> House Democrats have sent their long-anticipated request for six years of President Donald Trump's tax returns to the Internal Revenue Service, the opening salvo in what could prove an explosive battle between Democrats and the Trump administration over the president’s personal finances that is expected to wind up in the courts.

Interested in Donald Trump? Add Donald Trump as an interest to stay up to date on the latest Donald Trump news, video, and analysis from ABC News. Add Interest

In a letter to IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal, D-Mass., requested six years of Trump’s personal and business tax information from 2013-2018, including individual tax returns and returns from eight businesses linked to Trump. He also asked whether any of them are or have been under audit - and for all the information to be delivered to Capitol Hill within a week.

"This request is about policy, not politics; my preparations were made on my own track and timeline, entirely independent of other activities in Congress and the Administration," Neal said in a statement.

Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images

Neal said that the decision to request the returns was in the interest of ensuring "the accountability of our government and elected officials. To maintain trust in our democracy, the American people must be assured that their government is operating properly, as laws intend.”

Democrats have said they would use Trump’s tax returns to inform their investigations into allegations of corruption and wrongdoing in the administration and the president’s family business.

The IRS declined to comment.

Speaking to reporters at the White House Wednesday, Trump signaled opposition to Democrats' request.

“Until such time until I’m not under audit I would not be inclined to do that," he said.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told lawmakers last month that the Treasury will “follow the law” and review any request. Trump, who has long considered any examination of his personal finances a red line for investigators, is expected to aggressively challenge Democrats’ request in court.

Trump broke with modern precedent as a White House candidate in 2016 when he refused to release his returns, and has continued to do so while in office. Most presidents since Richard Nixon have voluntarily released their tax returns over the past 40 years, which is not required by law.

Trump has said he continues to be under audit from the Internal Revenue Service, which the agency will not confirm or deny.

Trump’s attorney Jay Sekulow, who worked at the IRS shortly after law school, argued that Democrats would have to demonstrate a “legitimate legislative purpose” for obtaining the president’s returns, and predicted the request “probably gets litigated” in an interview with ABC News podcast “The Investigation.”

Democrats requested Trump’s personal tax returns under a 1924 provision of the tax code requiring the Treasury secretary to “furnish” any individual’s tax return information to the chairs of three congressional committees “upon written request.”

Republicans have accused Democrats of weaponizing the tax code to target Trump, and said the move would set a dangerous precedent.

House Democrats have unsuccessfully tried to pass a measure requiring presidential and vice presidential candidates to release ten years of personal tax returns as part of a larger government reform package, which has stalled in the Senate. </s> WASHINGTON (AP) — A top House Democrat has issued subpoenas for six years of President Donald Trump’s tax returns, giving Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig a deadline of next Friday to deliver them.

Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal issued the subpoenas Friday, days after Mnuchin refused to comply with demands to turn over Trump's returns. Mnuchin told the panel he wouldn't provide Trump's tax records because the panel's request "lacks a legitimate legislative purpose," as Supreme Court precedent requires.

Neal is reminding the two Trump appointees in a Friday letter that federal law states that the IRS “shall furnish” the tax returns of any individual upon the request of the chairmen of Congress’ tax-writing committees. He says Ways and Means “has never been denied” a request. </s> WASHINGTON (AP) — A House committee chairman on Wednesday formally asked the IRS to provide six years of President Donald Trump's personal and business tax returns as Democrats try to shed light on his complex financial dealings and potential conflicts of interest.

The request by Massachusetts Rep. Richard Neal, who heads the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee, is the first such demand for a sitting president's tax information in 45 years. The unprecedented move is likely to set off a huge legal battle between Democrats controlling the House and the Trump administration.

Neal made the request in a letter to IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig, asking for Trump's personal and business returns for 2013 through 2018.

Trump told reporters Wednesday he "would not be inclined" to provide his tax returns to the committee.

Democrats insist that obtaining Trump's tax filings falls within their mandate of congressional oversight. Republicans have denounced it as a political witch hunt and invoked privacy concerns.

The legal battle set to ensue could take years to resolve, possibly stretching beyond the 2020 presidential election.

Trump broke with decades of tradition for presidential candidates by refusing to release his income tax filings during his 2016 campaign. He has said he won't release them because he is being audited, even though IRS officials have said taxpayers under audit are free to release their returns. Trump claimed at a news conference following the November election that the filings are too complex for people to understand.

The IRS has a policy of auditing the tax returns of all sitting presidents and vice presidents, "yet little is known about the effectiveness of this program," Neal said in a statement Wednesday evening. "On behalf of the American people, the Ways and Means Committee must determine if that policy is being followed, and if so, whether these audits are conducted fully and appropriately."

Neal continued, "In order to fairly make that determination, we must obtain President Trump's tax returns and review whether the IRS is carrying out its responsibilities."

Neal is one of only three congressional officials authorized under to make a written request to the Treasury secretary for anyone's tax returns. The Internal Revenue Service is part of the Treasury Department. A rarely used 1924 law says the Treasury chief "shall furnish" the requested material to members of the Ways and Means Committee for them to examine behind closed doors. </s> WASHINGTON -- A House committee chairman formally asked the IRS to provide six years of President Donald Trump's personal tax returns and the returns for some of his businesses as Democrats try to shed light on his complex financial dealings and potential conflicts of interest.The request by Massachusetts Rep. Richard Neal, who heads the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee, is the first such demand for a sitting president's tax information in 45 years. The unprecedented move is likely to set off a huge legal battle between Democrats controlling the House and the Trump administration.Neal made the request Wednesday in a letter to IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig, asking for Trump's personal and business returns for 2013 through 2018. He asked for the documents in seven days, setting an April 10 deadline.Trump told reporters Wednesday he "would not be inclined" to provide his tax returns to the committee. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said Thursday morning that the White House "is not interested in playing a bunch of political games like the Democrats in Congress clearly want to spend their time doing."An IRS spokesman said the agency had no immediate comment on Neal's request.Democrats insist that obtaining Trump's tax filings falls within their mandate of congressional oversight. Republicans have denounced it as a political witch hunt and invoked privacy concerns."We have completed the necessary groundwork for a request of this magnitude, and I am certain we are within our legitimate legislative, legal and oversight rights," Neal said in a statement Wednesday evening.Rep. Kevin Brady of Texas, the senior Republican on the Ways and Means panel, denounced the move as "an abuse of the tax-writing committees' statutory authority.""Weaponizing our nation's tax code by targeting political foes sets a dangerous precedent and weakens Americans' privacy rights," Brady wrote in a letter Wednesday to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who oversees the IRS. "As you know, by law all Americans have a fundamental right to the privacy of the personal information found in their tax returns."Louisiana Rep. Steve Scalise, the No. 2 House GOP leader, said "a lot of Americans are shocked" that Congress can review tax returns, "whether it's a blue collar worker or president of the United States."The legal battle set to ensue could take years to resolve, possibly stretching beyond the 2020 presidential election.Trump broke with decades of tradition for presidential candidates by refusing to release his income tax filings during his 2016 campaign. He has said he won't release them because he is being audited, even though IRS officials have said taxpayers under audit are free to release their returns. Trump claimed at a news conference following the November election that the filings are too complex for people to understand.The IRS has a policy of auditing the tax returns of all sitting presidents and vice presidents, "yet little is known about the effectiveness of this program," Neal said in the statement. "On behalf of the American people, the Ways and Means Committee must determine if that policy is being followed, and if so, whether these audits are conducted fully and appropriately."Neal continued, "In order to fairly make that determination, we must obtain President Trump's tax returns and review whether the IRS is carrying out its responsibilities."Neal is one of only three congressional officials authorized under to make a written request to the Treasury secretary for anyone's tax returns. The Internal Revenue Service is part of the Treasury Department. A rarely used 1924 law says the Treasury chief "shall furnish" the requested material to members of the Ways and Means Committee for them to examine behind closed doors.A spokesman for Mnuchin didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.Mnuchin suggested in testimony to Congress last month that he would protect Trump's privacy if the House Democrats requested his tax returns. "We will examine the request and we will follow the law ... and we will protect the president as we would protect any taxpayer" regarding their right to privacy, Mnuchin said.
The U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means formally requests six years of President Donald Trump's personal and business tax returns from the Internal Revenue Service.