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The US Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed the transfer of Donald Trump’s tax returns to Congress, rejecting a last resort appeal by the former Republican president.
Another setback for Donald Trump. The Supreme Court of the United States rejected, on Tuesday 22 November, a last attempt by the former American president to avoid having to present his tax return to Congress.
A committee of the House of Representatives, in the hands of the Democrats until January, has been asking for the documents sent to the tax authorities by the billionaire between 2015 and 2020 for three years.
But, unlike all the occupants of the White House since the 1970s, Donald Trump has consistently refused to release his tax returns and fought fiercely in court to block Congress’s request.
After so many episodes, at the end of October a federal appeals court had authorized the tax authorities to forward these documents to the House committee. The real estate mogul then sent an urgent appeal to the US Supreme Court to block this move.
The latter had suspended, on 1is November, the transmission of the documents waiting to have the elements to decide on the merits. After receiving arguments from both sides, he finally rejected Donald Trump’s request on Tuesday. In accordance with his practices, he did not explain his reasons.
Speculation on Donald Trump’s fortune
Despite being profoundly reviewed by the former president, the Supreme Court has inflicted several setbacks on him and in particular authorized in 2020 the transfer of financial documents to the New York justice who is investigating his affairs.
Donald Trump’s lack of transparency, who has made his wealth an electoral argument, has fueled speculation for years about the size of his fortune or potential conflicts of interest.
However, it is not certain that the transfer of his tax files to Congress will lift the veil on the affairs of the septuagenarian, who last week announced his candidacy for the 2024 presidency. The commission, which has asked for these tax returns to develop ethics rules on affairs of presidents, should not make them public. In January the Republicans will regain control of it and probably abandon this job.
Civil lawsuit for tax evasion in October in New York
In another case, the New York court scheduled October 2, 2023, 13 months before the 2024 presidential election, for the civil trial against Donald Trump and three of his sons, accused of fraudulent tax practices within the Trump Organization.
In this case, New York State Attorney General Letitia James accuses the Republican billionaire and his sons of “deliberately” manipulating the valuations of the assets of the group, which includes golf clubs, luxury hotels and other properties, to obtain loans best from banks or to reduce taxes. She is seeking $250 million in damages on behalf of the state, as well as a ban on running companies for the former president and his relatives.
With the AFP
