Trump’s lawyers were seeking a conference call to clarify how a lawsuit by House Democrats for his tax returns will proceed in a new administration. Their concern was that the House could seize the long-hidden treasure trove without notice.
House Democrats sued the Treasury Department to hand over six year’s worth of Trump’s personal and business records under an arcane law allowing the heads of Congress’s tax committees to examine anyone’s confidential tax information. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has refused, calling it an illegitimate request.
All of this raises alarms that Trump’s legal team would not have an opportunity to be heard with more legal challenges to the order.
Subpoenas to the Treasury Department and the IRS for Trump’s personal and business federal tax returns were issued by the House Ways and Means Committee in 2019. When denied, the Ways and Means Committee filed a lawsuit against the IRS and the Treasury, who is being represented by the DOJ.
Trump’s lawyers said that the Ways and Means Committee’s lawyers declined to disclose to them if there were plans to renew the request, but the Ways and Means Chairman has told reporters he plans to renew the effort.
A federal Trump-appointed judge has scheduled a teleconference for Friday afternoon.