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WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - President Donald Trump still has time to appeal a court ruling that clears the way for the a congressional committee to access his tax returns. But Ways and Means Committee Chairman, Rep. Richard Neal (D-MA), told the Washington News Bureau it’s unclear if Trump will.
“I can’t speak to the issue of whether or not there’s going to be an appeal,” Neal said Friday. “But, when you read the decision that was rendered by the Circuit Court of Appeals, it is broad based and virtually supportive of all of the arguments that we’ve made.”
Following the U.S. Court of Appeals ruling, the Ways and Committee said the decision showed “the law is on our side in seeking Trump’s tax returns.”
Rep. Neal first submitted the request for the returns in 2019.
🚨 🚨 🚨 BREAKING: The DC Court of Appeals has just ruled that the law is on our side in seeking Trump's tax returns. We expect to receive the requested tax returns and audit files immediately.https://t.co/FYzFzYrxF8
— Ways & Means Committee (@WaysMeansCmte) August 9, 2022
“This is not about being punitive. This is about a legitimate request from the Ways and Means Committee,” said Neal.
Court documents show Rep. Neal requested the federal income tax returns of then President Trump on April 3, 2019, as well as “Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust, DJT Holdings LLC, DJT Holdings Managing Member LLC, DTTM Operations LLC, DTTM Operations Managing Member Corp., LFB Acquisition Member Corp., LFB Acquisition LLC, and Lamington Farm Club, LLC doing business as Trump National Golf Club—Bedminster ( in the court documents known collectively as “Appellants” or “the Trump Parties”).” At that time, court documents state that Rep. Neal said the panel was “considering legislative proposals and conducting oversight related to our Federal tax laws, including, but not limited to, the extent to which the IRS audits and enforces the Federal tax laws against a President.”
However, on May 6, 2019, the Department of the Treasury responded that it did not intend to comply with the request because it said the request was not supported by a legitimate legislative purpose.
Neal refiled the request in June 2021 and he provided more detail of what the Committee was seeking including information “to consider and prioritize legislation on equitable tax administration, including legislation on the President’s tax compliance, and public accountability.”
This time, the Treasury determined the request was valid.
Upon hearing the Treasury’s 2021 decision, the ‘Trump parties’ filed their own claim against the Treasury and the IRS as it called the 2019 and 2021 requests unlawful.
They argued there was a lack of legislative purpose and that the request violated the separation of powers. The ‘Trump parties’ also argued Chairman Neal’s request exceeded Congress’ investigative powers.
Yet the Court of Appeals found on August 9, 2022 that the committee’s request to obtain the returns serves a valid legislative purpose.
“I’d like to applaud the efforts of Chairman Neal,” said fellow Ways and Means Committee member Rep. John Larson (D-CT). ”...We won on every single point. So it just wasn’t a case where we won one or two comments there. And, also Congressman Bill Pascrell, who’s been at this for, well, four years now in terms of getting the important information. So, all this I think is then in the final analysis. Justice will be be served in a democratic republic.”