Court rules US lawmakers can see Trump tax returns
A US House of Representatives committee has the right to see former president Donald Trump's tax returns, a federal appeals court ruled on Tuesday, rejecting his claims that the request is too political to prevail. The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled against the former Republican president, saying the panel's request was justified as part of its legislative work. It said the request did not violate separation of powers principles and was not unconstitutional, and the Biden administration's decision to provide the returns to Congress did not violate Trump's free speech rights. The appeals court decision brings the years-long battle over making Trump's taxes public closer to an end, and could lead to Trump's financial dealings being revealed before the 2024 presidential election. Trump has teased another potential run for the White House. The tax ruling came a day after Trump said FBI agents raided his Florida estate and broke into his safe, in what his son acknowledged was part of an investigation into Trump's removal of official presidential records from the White House. The House Ways and Means Committee said on Tuesday it expected to receive the tax records immediately. A lawyer for Trump did not immediately return a request for comment on the ruling, or any possible appeal to the US Supreme Court. The Ways and Means Committee sued in 2019 to force disclosure of the tax returns, and the dispute has lingered for 19 months after Trump left office. The court rejected Trump lawyers' arguments that the records should be withheld because the panel's motive for seeking them was political. "While it is possible that Congress may attempt to threaten the sitting president with an invasive request after leaving office, every president takes office knowing that he will be subject to the same laws as all other citizens upon leaving office," the appeals court said. "This is a feature of our democratic republic, not a bug." (Reuters)