Today, the leading Republican on the influential House Ways and Means Committee Kevin Brady (R-TX), sent a letter to Committee Chairman Richard E. Neal (D-MA) strongly cautioning the Chairman from moving forward with a potential subpoena or lawsuit of six years of President Donald J. Trump’s tax returns.
Rep. Brady wrote to Chairman Neal:
“Such actions would be an abuse of the Committee’s oversight powers and further examples of the Democrat majority’s coordinated attempt to weaponize the tax code and use Congress’s legitimate oversight authority for political gain.”
“It has been made clear that this information is not being sought to further a valid legislative purpose, but instead to try to embarrass a political enemy. To properly exercise Congressional oversight authority, courts have long held that a valid legislative purpose is required for all congressional investigations.”
“. . . it has become obvious that your supposed legislative purpose is just a pretext, and your request is merely a means to access and make public the tax returns of a single individual for purely political purposes. This is not a legitimate legislative purpose and therefore, any use of the Committee’s oversight authority in furtherance of such a request would set a dangerous precedent.”
“When Congress violates the rights of one taxpayer for political purposes, it begins the process of eroding the privacy rights of all taxpayers.”
“I urge you to consider carefully before deciding to use important congressional investigative tools for this illegitimate request.”
CLICK HERE to read the letter.
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Senior House Republican Shares Treasury Secretary Concern Over the Democrat’s Push for Trump’s Tax Returns
Today, the top Republican on the House Ways and Means Committee Kevin Brady (R-TX) released the following statement after Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin sent a letter to Ways and Means Chairman Richard Neal (D-MA) in response to the Chairman’s 6103 request to obtain six years of the President’s tax returns:
“The Democratic request for the President’s tax returns is unprecedented and sets a dangerous precedent. The intent of Section 6103 is clear: the tax code must not to be used for political fishing expeditions. The Treasury Department is right to carefully review the privacy impact this request would have on every taxpayer.”
This is not the first time the Texas Congressman has expressed concern about the Democrats push for these tax returns. On April 4th Brady wrote to Secretary Mnuchin about the Democrat’s efforts:
“Weaponizing our nation’s tax code by targeting political foes sets a dangerous precedent and weakens Americans’ privacy rights. As you know, by law all Americans have a fundamental right to the privacy of the personal information found in their tax returns.”
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