Treasury Department Rejects Democrats’ Request for Trump Tax Returns
Mnuchin says request lacks a legitimate legislative purpose
WASHINGTON—Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin rejected House Democrats’ request for President Trump’s tax returns on Monday, contending that lawmakers were trying to expose details of the president’s finances rather than conducting legitimate legislative oversight.
The move, which Mr. Mnuchin had signaled for weeks, will likely send the dispute between the executive and legislative branches into federal court. Judges may take months or years to resolve the legal question about the boundaries of congressional investigations.
Mr. Trump has refused to release his tax returns voluntarily, breaking a four-decade tradition among presidents and major-party candidates. He has cited a variety of reasons, including the fact that he won the presidency without releasing tax returns and the advice of his tax lawyers to avoid releasing returns while under audit.