US Supreme Court clears way for lawmakers to get Trump's tax returns
The US Supreme Court on Tuesday cleared the release of Donald Trump's tax returns to a House of Representatives committee, handing a defeat to the Republican former president who had called the Democratic-led panel's request politically motivated, Reuters reported.
The justices denied Trump's October 31 bid to block a lower court's ruling that upheld the Ways and Means Committee's request for his tax records as a justified part of the panel's legislative work.
This means the US treasury department can now deliver the tax returns from 2015-20 for Trump and some of his businesses to the Democratic-controlled committee.
The Supreme Court's brief response on Tuesday did not note dissent from any of the judges.
The committee, which has sought six years of Trump's tax records spanning 2015 to 2020, will have little time to complete its work related to the returns before a Republican takeover of the House. Republicans secured a narrow majority following the November 8 midterm elections and take control of the House - and the committee - in January.
Trump, who launched his third campaign for the White House last week, is facing multiple investigations related to his business practices. The fight over his tax returns is one of many legal woes for Trump as he moves forward with another run for the presidency in 2024.
The House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee has been seeking access to his records since 2019.
Ways and Means Chairman Richard Neal said the Supreme Court's action upholds the principle of congressional oversight.
Trump has had two other defeats this year from the conservative-dominated Supreme Court, three of whose justices he appointed.
In October, the court refused to weigh in on the legal fight over the FBI search of Trump's Mar-a-Lago home. Agents served a warrant at the estate on suspicion that the former president may have improperly handled classified documents.
In January, the court refused to act to stop the National Archives from handing over documents to the committee investigating the 6 January 2021 riot at the US Capitol by Trump supporters.
Trump has rejected the Ways and Means Committee's hunt for his taxes as politically motivated, BBC reported.
