Trump-Appointed Judge Dismisses Trump Lawsuit to Block Tax Returns: Ex-Prez is ‘Wrong on the Law’
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Federal Judge Trevor McFadden dismissed former President Donald Trump’s lawsuit attempting to block Congress from receiving his tax returns, saying Trump is “wrong on the law.”
The latest in a series of lawsuits involving Trump’s tax returns is another loss for the former president, as McFadden ruled Tuesday that Trump can’t block the House Ways and Means Committee from obtaining his tax returns.
“Former President Donald J. Trump sues to keep the Treasury from giving his tax returns to the House Committee on Ways and Means, which can publish them,” McFadden summarized in his opinion on the case. “He marshals an array of evidence suggesting the Committee’s purported interest in the Presidential Audit Program, an IRS policy that requires audits of the sitting President, is a subterfuge for improper motives— like exposing his returns. He also raises legal arguments against the statute on which the Committee relies.”
“But even if the former President is right on the facts, he is wrong on the law,” McFadden wrote, adding that “A long line of Supreme Court cases requires great deference to facially valid congressional inquiries. Even the special solicitude accorded former Presidents does not alter the outcome. The Court will therefore dismiss this case.”
Over the course of 45 pages, McFadden picked apart Trump’s arguments and concluded that while “It might not be right or wise” for Chairman Rep. Richard Neal to publish Trump’s returns, “it is the Chairman’s right to do so. Congress has granted him this extraordinary power, and courts are loath to second guess congressional motives or duly enacted statutes.”
“The Court will not do so here and thus must dismiss this case,” McFadden wrote.
Trump has 14 days to respond to the ruling before the Biden administration can send the returns to the committee.
McFadden was appointed to the DC Circuit Court by Trump and confirmed by an 82-10 vote.
