Liberal groups step up pressure on Dems to request Trump’s tax returns

Progressive organizations said Tuesday that they are stepping up their efforts to press House Democrats to immediately request President Trump’s tax returns from the Treasury Department, after some lawmakers suggested that the request would likely be made soon.

Tax March and Stand Up America said that they are hosting a “national day of action” on Tuesday, when constituents will urge Democrats on the House Ways and Means Committee to publicly demand that the panel’s chairman, Rep. Richard Neal (D-Mass.), immediately ask for Trump’s tax returns.

{mosads}“Chairman Neal has run out of excuses. He’s had over two years of the Trump presidency to prepare for this moment, and his inaction on Trump’s tax returns is a disservice to the American people,” said Stand Up America President Sean Eldridge said in a statement. 

“From the congressional testimony provided by Michael Cohen to numerous reports of Trump’s dubious tax schemes, it could not be more urgent for Congress and the American people to know the truth about Trump’s financial entanglements and his profiting from the presidency,” Eldridge added.

Tuesday’s call-in to Democratic lawmakers comes two weeks after Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.), a senior Ways and Means Committee member, predicted that Neal would send the request to Treasury within a couple of weeks. Pascrell said at the time that the timeline was his personal prediction.

Neal has said that he plans to request Trump’s tax filings, but is moving methodically on the issue because he thinks the matter is likely to result in a lengthy court case. He has said that he will make the request “when the case is ready.”

A provision in the Internal Revenue Code gives Neal the authority to ask for anyone’s tax returns from Treasury, provided the Ways and Means Committee reviews them in a closed session. The panel could then vote to send a report to the full House, which could make some or all of the return information public.

Progressive groups have been frustrated with the pace at which Neal is moving on requesting the returns. Earlier this year, groups sent Neal a template for the letter that he could send to Treasury requesting the documents. They’ve also hosted previous call-ins.

“Chairman Neal has the power and responsibility to swiftly make this request—and these continued delays are indefensible,” said Tax March Executive Director Maura Quint said.