Since the 2016 campaign, President Donald Trump has avoided disclosing his financial records—a deviation from what every President or major presidential nominee since Nixon has done.
The President initially promised to release them if elected, then claimed he was under audit and couldn't disclose them.
Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance subpoenaed Mazars USA, Trump's accounting firm, last year, sparking a legal battle that saw the Supreme Court rule against the assertion of Trump's lawyers that the President isn't subject to investigation.
Trump's lawyers then complained in a Southern District of New York trial court that the Democratic D.A. is on a "fishing expedition." The case was dismissed, prompting Trump to appeal the decision in the 2nd Circuit.
In his first legal victory since the saga began, a New York federal appeals court held off a lower ruling that the President would have to comply with the subpoena while he waited for his appeal.
After years of resistance and legal battles from Trump regarding his tax returns, Democratic nominee Joe Biden asked why Trump was working so hard to conceal them.
I've released 21 years of my tax returns.
What are you hiding, @realDonaldTrump? https://t.co/aQs6Hlox0P
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) September 3, 2020
Some claimed to have answers.
He told us in court this week - irreparable harm. https://t.co/IMUmTIgSzh
— John Sipher (@john_sipher) September 3, 2020
Everything
— Denise Wu (@denisewu) September 3, 2020
Oh Trump is hiding a lot in those tax returns. It's pretty obvious that the reason he will not release them is because of bad stuff, for example:
- not a real billionaire
- shady dealings with Russian and or other foreign entities
- info that would lead some to abandon him
— MURRAY 🗽 (@murray_nyc) September 3, 2020
C'mon VP Biden, we all know what he's hiding!!! pic.twitter.com/gREZCuo6QD
— @JOURNOPIXS🎬 (@journopixs) September 3, 2020
Fraud . Tax . Tax Fraud . He's hiding Tax Fraud . He fabricated a loan to avoid paying income taxes on nearly $50 million dollars . Ofc he's not releasing his tax returns . https://t.co/1inasTiU4U
— Milena de Avila (@MilenadeA03) September 3, 2020
Trump's lawyers argued this week that release of his tax returns would do "irreparable harm" to the President.
Others echoed Biden's calls for Trump's transparency.
Some of us have been wondering this for years. https://t.co/WiIrztKTSS
— David Corn (@DavidCornDC) September 3, 2020
Hey @realDonaldTrump, what are you hiding? I think you need to show us your taxes. https://t.co/HfAGdeNMZ5
— Diane (@DianeKnudsen7) September 3, 2020
This needs to be asked every single day until November 3. Step up, media, and do your job this time. #TrumpTaxReturns #TrumpCrimeFamily https://t.co/itQ3gl79Ga
— Alan Bennett Ilagan (@alanilagan) September 3, 2020
What are you hiding @realdonaldtrump? https://t.co/Nm0IZ21G76
— lecavanaugh (@lecavanaugh) September 3, 2020
It is highly unlikely that the tax returns will be granted to prosecutors before election day, and even less likely that they'd be publicly disclosed by them any time in 2020.
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