Democrats give the IRS a new deadline, April 23.

House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means Richard Neal said on Saturday that Democrats in the House of Representatives were not abandoning their demand to see President Donald Trump's tax returns. Neal reiterated his request for Trump's tax returns, informing IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig in a letter stating that he had until April 23 to hand over the records. This decision amounts to a reprimand from Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, who said he was not even sure that Neal would have the power to make this request.

"I'm waiting for an answer from the IRS before 5:00 pm. April 23, 2019. Know that if you do not, your failure will be interpreted as a refusal of my request, "wrote Neal in the letter a few days after Mnuchin said that nothing allowed the administration to respect the original text 10 deadline. In the letter, Neal answered Mnuchin's questions about whether legislators had the power of review to formulate what the Treasury Secretary described as an "unprecedented" demand. "The Committee's request raises serious questions about the constitutional scope of the Congressional investigative power, the legitimacy of the legislative objective invoked and the constitutional rights of US citizens," wrote Mnuchin. "The legal implications of this claim could affect the protections afforded to all Americans against politically motivated disclosure of personal information, regardless of who is in power."

Neal said he did not buy this reason. "I know that concerns have been expressed about my request and the authority of the committee. These concerns lack merit. In addition, judicial precedents dictate that none of the concerns raised can legitimately be used to deny the committee's request, "wrote Neal.

The hard time of Neal's letter is important because it seems inevitable that the demand is turning into a long legal battle. If the administration denies the request, it could open the door to a subpoena or a trial. Until now however, no one has denied the request. Neal also explains in the letter why the request "falls squarely within the control of the Committee" and stated that any question about the reasons for the request for documents was unacceptable. "It is not the function of the IRS, the Treasury or Justice to question or guess the motives of the committee or its reasonable decisions regarding the need for tax returns and return information requested", wrote Neal.