In the latest salvo of a political battle widely expected to end in federal court, US House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal issued separate subpoenas to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig that seek six years of Trump’s individual and business tax returns. The officials have until 5 p.m. EDT (2100 GMT) on May 17 to produce the material.
‘THE PROCESS WILL START QUICKLY’
Trump is stonewalling oversight investigations by Neal and five other Democratic committee chairs in the House of Representatives, prompting Democrats to warn Trump officials that they could face contempt citations along with heavy fines and even impeachment by defying congressional subpoenas.
The Democratic-led House Judiciary Committee voted to recommend a contempt of Congress citation against Attorney General William Barr this week after he defied a subpoena seeking the unredacted report on Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation.
“While I do not take this step lightly, I believe this action gives us the best opportunity to succeed and obtain the requested material,” Neal said in a statement issued by his committee. “I sincerely hope that the Treasury Department will furnish the requested material in the next week so the committee can quickly begin its work,” he added.
US House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal
As House Ways and Means Committee chairman, Neal is the only House lawmaker authorized to seek Trump’s tax returns under a federal law that says the Treasury secretary “shall furnish” such documents upon request.
