A federal judge on Tuesday struck down Trump’s lawsuit to block Congress from getting his tax returns.
US District Judge of the US District Court for the District of Columbia, Trevor McFadden, a Trump appointee, dismissed Trump’s case to keep the Treasury from giving his tax returns to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
Judge McFadden said even if Trump is right on the facts. he is wrong on the law.
“A long line of Supreme Court cases requires great deference to facially valid congressional inquiries. Even the special solicitude accorded former President does not alter the outcome. The Court will therefore dismiss the case,” the judge said in a 45-page memorandum.
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Judge McFadden told House Ways and Means Committee Chair, Rep. Neal that it would not be wise to make Trump’ tax returns public.
“Anyone can see that publishing confidential tax information of a political rival is the type of move that will return to plague the inventor,” the judge wrote. “It might not be right or wise to publish the returns, but 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.”
The judge gave Trump’s lawyers 14 days to appeal.
BREAKING: Federal judge Trevor McFadden (appointed by Trump) strikes down Trump lawsuit to block Congress from getting his tax returns pic.twitter.com/Hy8foA9bR3
— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) December 14, 2021