Judge gives Trump time to challenge disclosure of tax returns to Congress



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President Donald Trump arrives for a photo op with sheriffs from across the country on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington.

Erin Scott | Reuters

WASHINGTON – A federal judge is giving former President Donald Trump time to challenge a Justice Department order requiring the IRS to file his tax returns with Congress.

District of Columbia U.S. District Court Judge Trevor McFadden said Trump and his lawyers have until Wednesday to respond.

Neither Trump nor his lawyers have said whether they will challenge Friday’s order.

On Friday, the Justice Department said the former president’s tax returns must be released by the IRS to Congress, a turnaround from his stance during the Trump administration.

The Justice Department’s legal counsel’s office said in a 39-page notice that the Democratic-led House Ways and Means Committee had made a request for a legitimate legislative purpose to see the tax returns of Trump, for the stated purpose of assessing how the IRS audits presidents. tax returns.

Trump’s lawyers did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment.

Friday’s decision comes more than a year after the U.S. Supreme Court said Trump’s tax returns must be filed by his longtime accountants to Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. in reason for a subpoena issued in connection with a criminal investigation.

In July, the Trump Organization and its chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg were indicted by Vance for crimes relating to a “sweeping and daring” scheme since 2005 to avoid paying compensation taxes.

Trump, who shattered decades of precedent set by candidates and former presidents by refusing to release his tax returns, has repeatedly said his returns are under IRS verification.

However, taxpayers are permitted to release their returns to the public while they are being audited.

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