Speaking through his attorney, former President Donald Trump says he will fight to block the release of his tax returns, The Wall Street Journal reports
Unlike previous years, Trump is fighting the case over the tax return request in his personal capacity and cannot claim “presidential immunity.” But his lawyers said the President wants to have his case heard in court before the returns are turned over to Ways and Means.
“There is no evidence of any wrongdoing here and I object to the release of the returns not only on behalf of my client but on behalf of all future holders of the office of the president of the United States,” Ronald Fischetti, a lawyer for Trump, told The Journal.
The statement comes days after the Department of Justice ordered them turned over to the Democratic-led House Ways and Means Committee.
In a memo from the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel, acting Assistant Attorney General Dawn Johnsen on Friday said the Treasury Department is required to defer to the congressional committee.
“The statute at issue here is unambiguous: ‘Upon written request’ of the chairman of one of the three congressional tax committees, the Secretary ‘shall furnish’ the requested tax information to the Committee,” Johnsen wrote in the 39-page memo.
If the committee receives Trump’s tax returns, it can examine the documents in a closed session. It could then vote to release a report to the full House, making some or all of the documents public.
