COURTS/NEW YORK/TRUMP TAXES: “A lawyer for U.S. President Donald Trump told a federal appeals court Wednesday [10-23-19] the president does not have to hand over his tax returns to New York state prosecutors because he is immune from criminal investigation. William Consovoy, an attorney for the president, told the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that Trump has immunity until he leaves office and said prosecutors would not even have the power to do anything if Trump shot someone on 5th Avenue in New York City. The remark echoed a past comment by Trump, who has said his supporters are so loyal that he could shoot someone on 5th Avenue and not lose a single vote. The case, which pits Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance against Trump, is one of several legal battles in which the Republican president is seeking to shield his personal finances from scrutiny. In August, Vance, a Democrat, subpoenaed Trump’s personal and corporate tax returns from 2011 to 2018, and other records from the president’s longtime accounting firm Mazars USA.”
–Brendan Pierson, “Trump could shoot someone and escape prosecution, his lawyer argues,” Reuters, October 23, 2019 3:29 am