Democrats seize hold of IRS memo in Trump tax battle

Democrats seized on Wednesday a new memorandum from the IRS on the access of tax returns to Congress, saying the document made it clear that they were right in their fight against the administration. President TrumpDonald John TrumpTrump responds to Dems' demands and speaks of indictment: "The witch hunt continues!" The Nevada Senate passes a bill that would give the votes of the constituency to the winner of the nation's popular vote The Hill & # 39; s Morning Report – Pelosi remains firm despite the new impetusTax returns.

The draft memo, prepared last fall and first published by the Washington Post on Tuesday, indicated that the agency was required to provide the required income tax returns to Congress, unless the privilege of the executive power was invoked.

Although the unsigned document does not directly mention Trump, Democrats believe this reinforces their position that the law requires the IRS to comply with their demands regarding the return of the president.

"This seemed to confirm the position we had, that the law is unambiguous," said the chair of the House Ways and Means Committee. Richard NealRichard Edmund Neal: Democrats feel a new impetus in the fight against Trump tax. The draft IRS memorandum revealed that the agency was to provide tax returns to Congress: the Senate passed a bill to cancel the tax increase for families of Gold Star PLUS Military (D-Mass.) Told reporters Wednesday.

Neal has already sent letters and subpoenas asking for six years of Trump's personal and corporate tax returns, from 2013 to 2018, the Secretary of the Treasury Steven MnuchinSteven Terner MnuchinThe Morning & # 39; s Morning Report – Pelosi remains firm despite a new impetus for dismissal Democrats feel a new boost in the fight against Trump's tax returns The draft memo of the IRS indicated that the agency was to provide tax returns to Congress: PLUS report rejected. Mnuchin stated that the Finance Ministry had determined that Neal's claims had no legitimate legislative purpose, after discussing them with the Department of Justice.

Democrats in the House should take legal action following Trump's return. Neal said the memo would not change his strategy.

"We have a strategy for the last four months and we intend to respect it," he said.

Some Democrats have said that the memo could be useful to them in their trial. This is one of the latest developments that may bode well for Democrats seeking Trump tax returns, as well as two rulings this week by separate judges who have joined the Democrats in their efforts to win other financial information of Trump.

"I think you will see a series of court decisions, decisions, memos, letters, all of which confirm that the Constitution requires us to have a duty to monitor the executive power," said Representative Tom Suozzi (DN.Y. ), member of the committee of ways and means.

Another novelty that could help the Democrats in the tax fight is that the New York State legislature sent Wednesday to Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) a law authorizing Congress to seek tax returns from the state. State of the President. Neal can however choose not to ask for the return of the state.

The IRS memo, allegedly written by an attorney at the prosecutor's office, reportedly used by the chief prosecutor in the tax code cited by Neal in his Trump federal filing application is "mandatory ". This provision specifies that the Treasury Secretary "will provide" the tax returns requested by the chairpersons of the congressional tax commissions, provided the documents are consulted in camera.

In addition, the memo stated that the Secretary of the Treasury did not have the discretion and that congressional tax commissions did not have to justify their request.

At a House Financial Services Committee hearing on Wednesday, Mnuchin rejected the idea that the note contradicted his findings on Trump's return.

"If I understand correctly, this note concerns a problem different from the one we examined, as well as the Ministry of Justice," he said.

Later during the hearing, Mnuchin said that the Treasury Department would review the document, but that there was no "smoking gun here".

"We did a very thorough legal analysis with the Department of Justice," he said.

Mnuchin also stated that he was not aware of this document until the Post Office asked him to do so and that, to his knowledge, no senior Treasury official had seen it before. He said that the Treasury was trying to find who was the author of the memo project.

The IRS also said that Commissioner Charles Rettig and Chief Attorney Michael Desmond were not aware of the draft document until they were contacted by the post.

Some Democrats are skeptical.

"It is hard to believe that Secretary Mnuchin, Commissioner Rettig and other political figures are aware of the existence of this memo," said a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee Ron WydenRonald (Ron) Lee WydenMomentum organizes to create the registry "Do not follow" The Senate Speaker said Thursday that the bipartite health care package would be approved Thursday A Senate panel approves the Interior candidate compared to the Democrats' objections MORE (D-Ore.) Said in a statement.

He added that "Congress needs answers as to who knew about this memo and when, and why Secretary Mnuchin finally ended the IRS to get the answer desired by President Trump. . "

representative Lloyd DoggettLloyd Alton Doggett – The US Treasury Department Rejects Dem's Subpoena for Trump's On-Money Tax Returns: New Tariffs on China pose Major Risk for Trump | Senators sound alarm after impending fiscal battles | Ocasio-Cortez and Sanders associate with payday lenders Dems Features New York Times article on Trump's commercial losses at hearing on "fiscal deficit" PLUS (D-Texas), member of the Ways and Means Committee, reiterated his call to Congress that he plan to use his powers inherent in the power of contempt of Mnuchin. , which could involve fines and imprisonment.

"It is high time for Congress to stop letting the Trump administration take any responsibility for its continued abuse of power," he said in a statement.

The memo was made public as Democrats in the House increasingly called for an impeachment investigation against Trump, whose president Nancy PelosiNancy Patricia's Alesandro PelosiTrump responds to Dems' demands and speaks of indictment: "The witch hunt continues!" The Hill & # 39; s Morning Report – Pelosi Remains Firm Despite New Removal Measures The Memo: Trump Allies See Impeachment Measures Reversed Against Democrats MORE (D-Calif.) Seems to have settled for the moment.

representative Mark PocanMark William PocanThe memo: Trump's allies assisted by the removal of the House of Democrats Democrat leaders urge to implement the removal of Trump. WHIP LIST: Dems Supporting Impeachment Investigation Against President Trump MORE (D-Wis.), A co-chair of the Progressive Congressional Caucus who called for an indictment investigation, said that the draft memo and Mnuchin's assertions that he had not examined them was "a reason for more for which the president obstructs or tries to cover the things we are trying to get, we will push back. And I think you'll find more and more members pushing back. "

Key Republicans have maintained their support for Mnuchin in the fight for the tax declaration.

representative Kevin BradyKevin Patrick BradyMicrosoft, Other Business Leaders Go to Capitol Hill to Support Carbon Tax: House Will Vote on Pension Bill Next Week to Require Statements to Appear on Statements Tax Trump PLUS (Texas), a senior member of the Ways and Means Committee, said that he thought the draft IRS memo had "no meaning" and was missing constitutional problems in account by Mnuchin.

Brady said he was not sure that the memo even had the value of "an abandoned can of soup on the side of the road that was suddenly placed in the Smithsonian."