House committee files lawsuit for Trump tax returns

WASHINGTON — A House committee sued the Trump administration in federal court Tuesday for access to President Donald Trump’s tax returns, setting up a legal showdown over the records. The committee originally demanded six years of Trump’s tax records in early April under a law that says the Internal Revenue Service “shall furnish” the returns of any taxpayer to a handful of top lawmakers. In its lawsuit Tuesday, the committee said the administration has refused to turn over the documents “in order to shield President Trump’s tax return information from Congressional scrutiny.” The committee said it’s not required to explain to the Treasury Department its reasons for seeking the tax return information but that in this case the committee’s need is “evident.” “Without reviewing the requested return materials, the Committee cannot ensure that the IRS’s audit process is functioning fairly and effectively, understand how provisions of the tax code are impacted by President Trump’s returns or exercise its legislative judgment to determine whether changes to the code may be warranted,” the lawsuit said. Steve Rosenthal, a senior fellow at the nonpartisan Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center, said the committee is on strong legal footing with the lawsuit because “it is entitled to oversee and investigate the executive branch, which is a key element of our checks and balances.” The chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, Massachusetts Democrat Richard Neal, said in a statement that despite the Treasury Department’s “mandatory obligation,” it had “failed to comply with the law.” The Treasury Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley, the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, has opposed House Democrats’ requests for Trump’s tax returns, saying partisan motives are behind it and that the request could set a dangerous precedent.