We're gonna see the tax returns sooner than later. And WHOO BOY, that's gonna be interesting!

[StarfishSaver]

Link to tweet

True dat

[watoos]

2. How soon is soon?

What comes first McGahn testifying or Trump’s taxes?
I do think Mueller May eventually get to testify some day, I doubt by May 15.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

25. What's the sequence of events on the taxes? The IRS

Head didn't show up...so there's a whole path for that? But the tax docs are subpoenaed and on another path?

[barbtries]

3. the news story attached says just the opposite.

i don't see it happening any too soon.

[greymattermom]

4. So has Mueller seen the tax returns?

Can he be asked about them at a hearing in Congress?

[spanone]

5. Mnuchin lacks everything.

[dchill]

36. Mnuchkin is a gaping black hole of lack.

As are all who service Trump.

[malaise]

6. "lacks a legitimate legislative purpose.

He doesn't get to decide this?

Lock him up!

[More_Cowbell]

9. The statute doesn't even *require* a legitimate legislative purpose.

He is so full of crap.

[StarfishSaver]

11. The Committee Chairman is not required to give a reason for obtaining the records

The Secretary is required to turn them over if requested, no questions asked. Period.

[mjvpi]

19. I agree, lock him up. But catch 22 with DOJ enforcing the law.

Failing to comply offers spelled out remedies. Loss of job, prison and fines. But who enforces the punishment? The House Sargent at Arms would go to the DOJ. Do you see Barr doing anything?

[Runningdawg]

7. At this point I think NY state has the best chance at acquiring the returns

And I don't even think that will happen before the election.

[watoos]

13. I agree

Even if the NY A.G. gets his taxes I doubt the public sees them.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

26. Part of the problem is that the Chief Conniver has had

Plenty if time ( length of Mueller probe) to strategically place blockers to hide the truth. AG, IRS

[Evolve Dammit]

8. Not very hopeful. They are under mobster code to not do it. Ever.

Unless leaked, don't see it happening. Hope I'm wrong.

[yaesu]

10. the wheels of justice can turn very very slowly when protecting the rich & powerful

it may be years before we see his taxes.

[watoos]

12. Don't get down

Mueller will have to resign from justice then I think it will be hard to stop him from testifying.
All Mueller has to do is say something like, Trump obstructed justice.
Not going to happen by May 15th.

[Vinca]

14. I wish Trump was asked what he's trying to hide each and every time he stops

to schmooze with the press. A successful, NON-scamster would be proud to show their financial information.

[kyburbonkid]

15. They are not fucking kings

They have to be accountable to 'We the People' which is congress and the law.

[Chicagogrl1]

16. CHINA, if you are listening...

🙏 for a leak, or anything that will put light on his taxes. Trying to keep the faith that the truth will come out. The truth always comes out.

[srobertss]

17. Impeachment inquiry

I have read that initiating the impeachment inquiry would strengthen the House’s case in court to get past the stonewalling. Does anyone know if that would also speed up the process? At any rate, I have contacted my Rep to say it’s time for the impeachment inquiry.

[StarfishSaver]

20. Where did you read that?

As far as I know, there is nothing special about an impeachment inquiry that "strenngthens" Congress' hand in try to not to expedite any court proceeding.

Any action the Judiciary Committee can take in an impeachment inquiry can be done by the Judiciary Committee or any other House committee in their oversight or legislative capacity.

[watoos]

27. Of course the House would have a stronger case under

an impeachment hearing. Barr even stated that he would release grand jury testimony for an impeachment hearing, not that Barr's word is reliable. Under an impeachment hearing the committee can petition the courts to expedite judgments on subpoenas and contempt of Congress. It just stands to reason that an impeachment hearing is much more serious than a regular oversight hearing.

Barr/Trump aren't even trying to win the court cases, they are trying to delay them until after the election.

[StarfishSaver]

30. They wouldn't necessarily have a stronger case just because it's an impeachment hearing

And Barr said he would ask the court to release the grand jury documents. But he's a liar. He won't ask.

You're right that it "stands to reason" that a court might take such a request more seriously, but that isn't a legal theory or requirement. No court is bound to expedite a case just because it is brought by the House in connection with an impeachment hearing. A court will move on its own time and, depending on the judge/judges it ends up front of, the fact that it's an impeachment inquiry could actually slow things down.

There's really nothing magical about an impeachment inquiry that's any different than any other congressional investigation. Any sense of urgency that people think it adds is either non-existent or of interest only to the Democrats and would not be shared by or have any impact on anyone else determined to stall the process.

[srobertss]

37. Interesting

I’ve seen it in a couple of places, but now I can’t remember where. I’ll have to do some hunting. I lived through the Nixon hearings and of course, Clinton’s. But I never paid such close attention to every twist and turn.

[gtar100]

18. More republican privilege in action.

Just listening to them talk or read what they say and I can hear my brain cells imploding. Daily trying to pass off their shit for shinola.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

21. Exploiting undocumented foreign nationals and not paying them overtime, for one thing. . . . nt

[StarfishSaver]

22. That's not what he's worried about getting revealed

[Bernardo de La Paz]

23. Loans from Russian oligarchs written off is highly likely; exploitation already reported, but ...

... MAGAts have already been observed wearing Tshirts "I'd rather be Russian than Democrat", so even fake Russian loans (payments / money laundering) might have no effect on them.

[StarfishSaver]

24. It's something he worries will make his MAGA crowd turn on him and/or

cause most of his Republican support in the Seenate to evaporate virtually overnight.

This man is completely impervious to shame, so it's not something as simple as being revealed to have engaged in illegal acts and immoral acts we already know about or suspect him of. It's much bigger and much worse and he's terrified it will get out.

[watoos]

28. Don't underestimate the effect that trump hired

possibly thousands of undocumented workers over decades at his properties. One of his main campaign slogans was to build the wall. He will look pretty hypocritical if he hired all of those murderers, drug dealers, and rapists.

[dawg day]

31. We already know that

I think Cohen intimated it-- he's understated his income (that is, CHEATED) on tax forms.

I don't understand why audits haven't caught him yet. That accountant of his can't be that clever.

[Hoyt]

29. Even if we get them, not sure they'll tell us much other than trump doesn't have

a lot of taxable income.

Not like there is a line for payments to Putin, or other illegal activities.

[StarfishSaver]

32. There's something in there he doesn't t want anyone to see

I suspect, among other things, they will reveal that 1) he was flat broke; 2) he was deeply in debt to some ugly people: 3) he gave nothing to charity: 4) he's engaged in tax fraud out the wazzoo.

But I still think there's something else in there that he is terrified of being eevealed.

[Hoyt]

33. I think it's showing the world he's living off debt, not normal taxable income.

Don’t think it will show who he was in debt to, nor will tax fraud be obvious.

I think he’s scared of little charitable giving or looking like a loser in terms of financial success.

[StarfishSaver]

34. I agree that he doesn't want the world to see what a financial loser he is

But tax fraud will be obvious when committees start comparing his federal tax returns with his state returns and other financial documents they've gotten their hands on. He's probably lied on so many forms under penalty of perjury, they alone could put him in jail for years.

[Whiskeytide]

35. I doubt there is anything illegal in his ...

... tax returns. They are filed by his accountant who, I’m sure, at least knows how to fill out the forms without overtly revealing criminal activity. They might be cooking the books, but that would take an investigation to reveal the details. It’s not going to list secret payments from Putin or hush payments to porn stars. There is no “State how much money you laundered last year” line. It could reveal that he has loans with foreign banks. Maybe even ones under sanction or in hostile countries. He’ll dodge that with BS about how the sanctions were Obama’s or he’s trying to make new allies.

It’s one of two things. Either he’s withholding them because there’s nothing in them, and he wants to milk out the fail once they are produced, or he’s lied about being wealthy and they’ll show he’s a two bit huckster, failed business man and over-hyped game show host with no money.