Dem lawmaker jabs Trump call for transparency by asking for his tax returns

Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) fired back at President Trump after the president said he would be declassifying documents related to the Russia investigation out of a desire for “total transparency” by renewing the call for Trump’s tax returns.

Trump on Monday ordered the declassification of a series of sensitive documents related to the investigation into Russian election interference.

“We want transparency,” Trump said at the White House on Tuesday of his decision. “What I want is I want total transparency.”

Beyer took to Twitter on Tuesday to mock the president’s call, linking to a video of Trump’s comments.

“So you’ll be releasing your tax returns then?” He asked.

So you’ll be releasing your tax returns then? https://t.co/duqCSPTuHI

— Rep. Don Beyer (@RepDonBeyer) September 18, 2018

Trump was the first presidential candidate in decades to not disclose his tax returns. He cited an IRS audit as his reason, though the agency has said that taxpayers can release their own information at any time.

{mosads}The president has called for the release of classified sections of a surveillance application that allowed the FBI to monitor former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page, in addition to “all text messages relating to the Russia investigation” from former FBI Director James Comey and several other top federal officials.

The release also includes the text messages exchanged between two former FBI officials, Peter Strzok and Lisa Page, who were critical of Trump’s campaign.

Strzok, who was removed from the Russia investigation after an internal probe revealed the messages, was fired by the Justice Department in August.

Trump said Tuesday that he ordered the release of the documents at the request of congressional committees and thought it was a good idea “because we should open it up for people to see.”

“When the President issues such an order, it triggers a declassification review process that is conducted by various agencies within the intelligence community, in conjunction with the White House Counsel, to seek to ensure the safety of America’s national security interests,” the Department of Justice said in a statement Monday evening.

“The Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are already working with the Director of National Intelligence to comply with the President’s order.”

Former General General Eric Holder said Trump’s move was a “dangerous abuse of power.”

“This is an especially dangerous abuse of power by this President,” Holder tweeted Tuesday. “He places his self interest above the national security interests of the country.”

This is an especially dangerous abuse of power by this President. He places his self interest above the national security interests of the country. https://t.co/KJohV6V3tY

— Eric Holder (@EricHolder) September 18, 2018

Trump has repeatedly called special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian election meddling and possible collusion between the Kremlin and the Trump campaign in 2016 a “witch hunt.” 

He has threatened to shut it down or fire Justice Department officials who are overseeing it.