Top court rules on Trump tax returns
Unlikely ruling would open his books before vote
WASHINGTON • President Donald Trump claimed Thursday that he was being treated differently than his predecessors after the Supreme Court ruled that a New York prosecutor can see his financial records and left the door open to Congress examining them — while Democrats said the outcome from a nearly unified court showed that the president is not above the law.
In tweets following a pair of decisions, Trump decried what he called a “political prosecution” in New York, responding to the justices’ decision to send the case back to a lower court.
The Supreme Court also directed additional consideration over whether House Democrats could get access to Trump’s tax returns and other records — both moves that mean that the public is unlikely to see the documents before November’s election.
On Twitter, Trump seized on the first decision, complaining that the Supreme Court issued a “delay ruling that they would never have given for another President.”
“The Supreme Court sends case back to Lower Court, arguments to continue,” Trump wrote. “This is all a political prosecution. ... I have to keep fighting in a politically corrupt New York. Not fair to this Presidency or Administration! ... Courts in the past have given ‘broad deference’. BUT NOT ME!”
In both cases, the justices ruled 7 to 2, with Trump nominees Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh joining the majorities.
Democrats pointed to the near unity among justices in arguing that Trump was being held to account after long resisting the demands of Congress and prosecutors.
Joe Biden used the occasion to taunt Trump, who broke with precedent for presidential candidates by refusing to voluntarily release his tax returns.
The former vice-president shared his tweet from October in which he noted that he had released 21 years of his tax returns, adding, “Release yours or shut up.”
Trump has said repeatedly he would not release his returns because they are being audited by the IRS, though no law prevents him from doing so.
While House Democrats will not have immediate access to Trump’s financial records, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the ruling in the case related to congressional oversight is “not good news for the president of the United States.”
“What was at stake is, is this president above the law?” she told reporters at her weekly news conference.
Pressed by reporters about the inability of Congress or local prosecutors to get the tax records before the election, Pelosi said that legal scholars had warned her that there was “never any way” that the Supreme Court would rule in such a manner to immediately provide those documents to the relevant House committees.
Instead, the Speaker said the critical issue was about the precedent of congressional oversight, calling the ruling a “victory” for “the Constitution of the United States.”
Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer advanced a similar argument.
“No matter how much he wishes it to be true, President Trump is not king,” Schumer said in a statement. “In a devastating blow to President Trump and his enablers in the Republican party, the Supreme Court today upheld a fundamental tenet of our democracy that no one is above the law.”
In the first decision, the court said Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. had the authority to subpoena the records from Trump’s private accounting firm.
Trump had claimed an immunity from criminal investigations while in office.
Vance is investigating whether the Trump Organization falsified business records to conceal hush payments to two women, including adult-film actress Stormy Daniels, who claimed they had sex with Trump before he took office. Trump has denied those claims.
Vance is seeking Trump’s tax returns, among other records.
The congressional subpoenas that Trump is seeking to block followed testimony from Michael Cohen, the president’s former fixer, who told lawmakers that Trump had exaggerated his wealth to seek loans.
7-2 DECISION