If Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin Orders the IRS to Not Furnish Congress With Trump's Tax Returns, the Remedy Should Be...

@abe182 @DuchessOfMapleSyrup

You both better read the [b]actual[/b] law.

https://similarworlds.com/18-Politics/2608307-Trumps-Tax-Returns-and-the-Law

@beckyromero [quote]except that any return or return information which can be associated with, or otherwise identify, directly or indirectly, a particular taxpayer[/quote]
Seems pretty obvious whose tax return it will be

@abe182

(continuing where you left off.)

[quote]...[b]shall[/b] be furnished to such committee only when sitting in closed executive session unless such taxpayer otherwise consents in writing to such disclosure.[/quote]

[i]emphasis added[/i]

The "taxpayer" can consent to it being furnished in open session. But if not it still must be furnished in a "closed executive session."

There's no wiggle room.

@beckyromero OK so Trump has to consent.

@abe182

He has to consent to his returnes being released in [b]open[/b] session.

However, his consent is [b]NOT[/b] required for his returns to be viewed in a "closed executive session."

People and the media are confused about the law, thinking it means Trump's returns must be made [i]public[/i].

The law only requires that the taxing committees of the Congress shall be allowed to view them upon their request.

Trump is afraid that the committees will leak them to the media. But fear of embarrassment is not a lawful exemption to the law.

@beckyromero OK I see it now. But yes he's afraid of leaks because everyone leaks!

@abe182 The law doesn't give you the ability to opt out because you are afraid of leaks. He has to provide his tax returns in closed session. Period. End of story.

@windinhishair he's the potus. Anyone who does that is an idiot

@abe182 Anyone who becomes potus is an idiot? Or is he an idiot if his tax returns are provided? Either way, he has to do it by law. He can't opt out because he's afraid someone will discover tax fraud.

@windinhishair 🤦‍♂️
Anyone who forces the viewing of the tax returns of the president of the United States without his consent, is an idiot.

And what are they hoping to find?

@abe182 They are likely to find tax fraud, for starters. The purpose would be to find out where Trump has financial interests, because his refusal to put his assets in a trust creates conflicts of interest in his dealings with other nations. We need to know where those conflicts are, to serve the interests of the nation. Trump clearly serves only his own interests.