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The US Supreme Court has cleared the way for ex-President Donald Trump’s tax forms to be released to a Democratic-controlled congressional committee.
The justices rejected Mr Trump’s bid in October to block a lower court’s ruling that granted the panel’s request for his financial records.
The move is a blow to Mr Trump, who has for years kept his returns sealed.
Mr Trump became the first president in 40 years not to release his taxes after announcing his first presidential run.
The House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee has been seeking access to his records since 2019.
Mr Trump, who launched his third campaign for the White House last week, is facing several investigations related to his business practices. He denies any wrongdoing.
The Supreme Court’s brief response on Tuesday did not note dissent from any of the judges.
The decision means the US treasury department can deliver the tax returns from 2015-20 for Mr Trump and some of his businesses to the Democratic-controlled committee.
It comes just before the Republicans take control of the House after this month’s midterm elections.
Donald Trump was almost able to run out the clock on the congressional request to view his tax returns.
Almost.
With just over a month left of Democratic control of the House of Representatives, the Supreme Court has given the green light for the treasury department to provide the documents to the Ways and Means Committee.
Given that the treasury department is run by the Biden administration, the process of handing over the documents should proceed expeditiously.
Democrats won’t have long to review them before Republicans take over on 3 January, however.
And coming up with any proposed changes to federal law regarding presidential tax returns – the stated purpose of the congressional request – seems a pointless effort with the little time remaining before congressional adjournment.
But a few weeks may be long enough to unearth evidence of any unusual or potentially improper accounting by Mr Trump – and for those details to leak to the public.
And that, many assume, was the real motive behind the request.
BBC
