Donald Trump’s years-long effort to hide his tax returns hit a snag Thursday when a federal judge ruled that the president was legally obligated to turn over the documents requested by Manhattan District Attorney, Cyrus Vance Jr, according to the New York Times. Trump and his lawyers had previously stated that the scope of Vance Jr.’s investigation—he’s been looking into allegations that the president paid off two women in the run-up to the 2016 election—was “wildly overboard” and framed the grand jury subpoena as an unnecessary and cumbersome invasion of privacy.
Judge Victor Marrero rejected the arguments and ruled that the ongoing judicial proceedings did not, “automatically transform into an incidence of incapacitating harassment and ill will merely because the proceedings potentially may implicate the president.” In other words, just because Trump could be found culpable of wrongdoing, does not mean a conspiracy to besmirch his name is underway.
It’s unlikely the public will see Trump’s financial records before the November election, but his continued stonewalling shows just how determined he is to keep them out of public view. Despite long promising to release his tax returns as a presidential candidate, Trump offered various excuses in 2016, such as claiming that an ongoing audit prevented him from doing so. Shortly after his inauguration, counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway said, “The White House response is that he’s not going to release his tax returns.” She added that, “Most Americans are very focused on what their tax returns will look like while President Trump is in office, not what his look like.”
There is no law forcing a president or presidential candidate to release their tax returns, but in the spirit of transparency it’s a 40-year tradition that has seen everyone from Richard Nixon to Elizabeth Warren doing so. (In fact, Nixon released his tax returns while under audit). The protracted legal battle for Trump’s tax returns is one that raises ethical questions regarding his business dealings before and after entering the White House. Along with investigating the 2016 hush money payments, Vance’s office is also looking into allegations of insurance and bank fraud.
“The Supreme Court shouldn’t have allowed this to happen,” Trump said Thursday, referring to last month’s ruling. He portrayed himself, once again, as the victim of “the greatest witch-hunt in history.” It’s an ironic grab at privacy from the man who demanded to see former President Barack Obama’s birth certificate while peddling the racist birther lie. “No president has ever had to go through this,” he said.
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