At a hearing before McFadden, House adviser Douglas Letter said the committee still wants the returns and expects the Treasury to “follow what we believe is a clear legal obligation” to provide them.
Justice Department attorney James Gilligan told McFadden he had no idea whether the Treasury or DOJ, which supported Mnuchin’s decision, changed its position or was about to change, adding that “they have a lot to do” with the change in administrations.
Neal, a Massachusetts Democrat, has been seeking six years of Trump’s personal tax returns and some of his business statements, citing a law that requires the Treasury Secretary to deliver any statements requested by the presidents of the three Congressional fiscal committees.
While Neal said he needed the returns to examine the integrity of routine IRS audits of presidents, Democrats were eager to examine them for any signs of malfeasance.
After Mnuchin refused, saying that Neal did not have a “legitimate legislative purpose” to want the returns, Democrats filed a lawsuit in federal court in July 2019. Since then, the case has progressed at a glacial pace.
The last comings and goings are an example of the kind of legal dispute that arises in his administration that will continue to pursue Trump.
In a separate case, House Democrats said in December that they would reissue a subpoena to Trump’s accounting firm for its financial records. And Manhattan district attorney Cy Vance Jr. is looking for Trump’s tax returns in another case.
Letter expressed frustration with the delays in Neal’s case.
“Our feeling is enough, that’s enough,” Carta said during Friday’s hearing. “The statute is clear” that the Treasury Secretary must give Trump’s statements to Neal.