Donald Trump was dealt a devastating legal blow on Wednesday as a federal appeals court ruled that the president is not above the law and cannot block enforcement of a New York grand jury subpoena for eight years of his tax returns.
The ruling, from a three-judge panel for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit, affirms a federal judge’s decision in August that rejected Trump’s claims that the subpoena from Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. (D) was overly broad and issued in bad faith.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office last year subpoenaed Trump’s accounting firm, Mazars USA, for the president’s personal and business tax returns and other financial records.
Trump initially challenged the subpoena by arguing that presidents have broad immunity from the criminal process.
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In July, the Supreme Court rejected that argument and sent the case back to the lower courts for further proceedings. Trump then filed a new complaint that argued that the subpoena amounts to “presidential harassment.” The appeals court rejected the argument and ruled against him.
Read the court ruling below:
