Tuesday (August 9), a D.C. Court of Appeals panel ruled that the Internal Revenue Service should provide the Jan. 6 Select Committee former President Donald Trump’s returns.
A three-judge panel sided with the Biden administration and the House Ways and Means Committee, overturning a long-running challenge to block officials from accessing these documents.
In his challenge, Trump argued that the committee didn’t have the authority and that his compliance would be unconstitutional, in addition to citing privacy concerns.
In the court’s opinion, Judge David Sentelle writes, “The 2021 Request seeks information that may inform the United States House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means as to the efficacy of the Presidential Audit Program, and therefore, was made in furtherance of a subject upon which legislation could be had.”
The opinion also noted that “the Request did not violate the separation of powers principles under any of the potentially applicable tests primarily because the burden on the Executive Branch and the Trump Parties is relatively minor.”
Following the decision, Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee Rep. Richard Neal (D-Mass.) praised it.
In a statement published Tuesday, Neal writes, “With great patience, we followed the judicial process, and yet again, our position has been affirmed by the Courts.”
Neal also noted that the decision proved “the law is on our side,” he then detailed what the committee would do once they have Trump’s returns, stating, “we will begin our oversight of the IRS’s mandatory presidential audit program.”
