HOUSE OF REPS/LEGAL/STEVE MNUCHIN/TREASURY/TRUMP TAXES: “The Treasury Department said on Wednesday [4-10-19] evening that it would not immediately comply with a congressional request to hand over President Trump’s tax returns, setting up a protracted legal battle between two branches of government. Steven Mnuchin, the Treasury secretary, said in a letter to Representative Richard E. Neal, the Democratic chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, that the Treasury Department’s lawyers needed more time to assess the lawfulness of the request and expressed concern that it would be a violation of taxpayer privacy. Mr. Mnuchin did not say how much time the review would take but conveyed concerns about whether Congress has authority to review the records…Mr. Neal responded to Mr. Mnuchin’s decision with a terse statement that indicated he believed the request was a matter for the Internal Revenue Service, not the Treasury secretary: ‘I will consult with counsel and determine the appropriate response to the commissioner in the coming days.’ Mr. Neal is expected to send a follow-up letter demanding the tax returns and outlining potential next steps, which could include a subpoena or a lawsuit. The issue could ultimately be decided by the Supreme Court. Mr. Trump said on Wednesday that he would not turn over his tax returns because they remained under audit by the I.R.S., signaling a long fight ahead.”
–Alan Rappeport, “Treasury Dept. Declines House Request for Trump’s Tax Returns,” The New York Times online, April 10, 2019