A reminder for everyone excited about Trump's tax returns...you won't see them.

[brooklynite]

Federal Law prohibits their being made public outside of evidence in a public Trial.

[bamagal62]

1. Well that sucks.

[malaise]

2. That does not apply to House Committees

They can release them at will

[brooklynite]

3. No they can't

They can use the data for Committee work, but cannot release the returns themselves.

Question: the next time Republicans control the House, would you like them to find a reason to demand (and release) George Soros' tax returns?

[keithsw]

4. Let me ask this

Can they just TELL everyone what they say?

[brooklynite]

6. No.

A member of the House who did so would be breaking the law.

[MisterNiceKitty]

7. George Soros is not or was a public official (as Trump was)

Meanwhile serious candidates for President will typically release their tax returns anyway so Republicans won't need to demand anything.

Don't vote for anyone who won't release their tax returns. They've just told you who they are.

[brooklynite]

9. There is no legal obligation for tax returns to be released as part of a political campaign.

Nor is there a retroactive right.

If House Ways and Means finds either a legal violation or national security issue in them, they can refer the matter to Justice, not take action on their own.

[MisterNiceKitty]

11. Trump can be retroactively impeached

So I doubt anything's totally off the table in these very unusual times.

The issues you raised regarding legality apply to Cy Vance's office these rules don't apply to the U.S. Congress (this is the supreme law making body of the United States we're talking about). You are comparing apples to oranges...

From today's New York Times:

"The Treasury Department must turn over six years of former President Donald J. Trump’s tax returns to House investigators, the Justice Department said in a legal opinion issued on Friday that potentially paves the way for their eventual release to Congress and to the public."

Also,

"Nor does the development necessarily mean that Mr. Trump’s tax information would immediately become public. Rules governing the sharing of sensitive tax information with the Ways and Means Committee require the panel to hold formal votes if it wants to share any of the information with the broader House or the public, or even include it in a committee report released to the public."

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/30/us/politics/trump-taxes-congress.html

There is an enormous public interest in having this information released to the media and public. But the only thing stopping it is a committee vote not the law.

[Trueblue1968]

18. I BET ..... THEY WILL BE LEAKED !!! A mystery leaker will do it

[triron]

5. I don't need to. But I bet they will be leaked.

[ripcord]

10. Hopefully whoever leaks them is jailed

[Trueblue1968]

19. whoever leaks them will be a hero in my book

[Brother Mythos]

8. I'm sure bits and pieces will come out during public hearings. And, much more will come out ...

once the various lawsuit trials and criminal trials begin over tfg's business practices.

And, it's a sure thing that the most damning portions of tfg's tax returns will be leaked to the press.

[MichMan]

12. Someone in congress will make sure they get leaked to the media anonymously

[48656c6c6f20]

13. Yes because Washington has never ever ever had leaks.

Come on man

[UnderThisLaw]

14. Well that's funny

We were assured in a post in Late Breaking News that the New YorK Times has Trump’s returns. Which talking point do I believe?


https://www.democraticunderground.com/10142777707

[brooklynite]

15. The New York Times can choose to stand behind the First Amendment in publishing stories...

House Members do not have the same legal rights.

[UnderThisLaw]

16. Nice goalpost move

You said we’d never see them. Now The NY Times can rely on the 1 Amendment to publish stories about them

[brooklynite]

17. If a member of Congress leaks them to the New York Times.

As I recall, the tax returns the Times got came from a former employee of the CPA. Not the same situation.

Personally I have expectation of Democratic House members to follow the law. Other than morbid curiosity, you have no need to see the tax returns of someone who doesn't hold office, absent a criminal charge, which will be up to the Justice Dept to decide.

[MichMan]

21. When have the returns of elected officials made viewable to the public ?

I think the public should be able to see the tax returns of all federal, state and local government employees.

[brooklynite]

22. I'm not challenge what SHOULD be the case; I'm talking about what the law says.

[UnderThisLaw]

24. A lot of irrelevant info there

If info is passed on to the public about Trump’s taxes, I couldn’t care less if the source was Congress or a CPA.

So try to focus. If the Times does has the returns, and it isn’t MY claim that they do, that contradicts your statement that they’ll never be seen

Again, I’m only trying to get the talking points straight, since DI is being inundated with them.
Also trying to figure out why you feel the need to tell me or anyone else what info I need to. Necessity isn’t the issue here

[leftstreet]

20. The impact it would have had on his base is over

Was he cheating on his taxes? Who cares, everyone expects rich people to do it.

But if his base had seen he was broke....

[FakeNoose]

23. David Cay Johnston has already leaked Chump's 2012 taxes

That document was turned over to him by an anonymous source several years ago. I believe it happened even before Chump was elected (?) or maybe it was 2017.

If you google it, it's out there.

[dsc]

25. We need to Bengazi them

have a leak that he wrote off 20 abortions in 2019 for example, or that he showed charitable contributions to the NAACP something like that. Make them deny stuff like they did to witnesses in Bengazi.