Topline
The House Ways and Means Committee voted Tuesday to release six years of former President Donald Trump’s tax returns to the public, following years of legal battles between Trump and lawmakers as the ex-president attempted to shield the records from being released.
DALLAS, TEXAS – AUGUST 06: Former U.S. President Donald Trump prepares to speak at the Conservative … [+]
Key Facts
The Democratic-controlled committee voted 24-16 along party lines in favor of releasing the tax returns.
It’s not clear how or when the committee plans to release the tax returns, which will be partially redacted to remove “sensitive” information like bank account and Social Security numbers.
It’s not clear whether Trump plans to take any legal action in response, or what avenues he might still be able to pursue.
Crucial Quote
“This is not about being punitive. This is not about being malicious,” Rep. Richard Neal (D-Mass.) told reporters Tuesday evening.
Key Background
Lawmakers met for more than three hours in a closed door committee meeting Tuesday to discuss whether to release the tax returns, which they were able to obtain after the Supreme Court ruled last month that Congress should have access to them, seemingly ending three years of legal back-and-forth between Trump and Democratic legislators. Democrats have argued the records will show whether Trump had any conflicts of interest involving his businesses while he served as president, while Republicans decried the effort as politically driven overreach. The vote to release the tax returns comes just weeks before Republicans are set to take control of the House, which will effectively end the probe into Trump’s tax records.
Further Reading
Trump’s Tax Returns Could Finally Be Made Public (Forbes)
House Committee Receives 6 Years Of Trump Tax Returns (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicholasreimann/2022/12/20/house-panel-votes-to-release-trump-tax-returns/