Keep pushing on Trump returns

On Feb. 12, the Journal Sentinel printed an article stating that Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.), a member of the powerful Ways and Means Committee, is intent on using a 1924 law to force President Donald Trump to show his tax returns (“Rare law could make Trump taxes public”).

The 1924 law “gives congressional committees that set tax policy the power to examine tax returns.” The law was used in 1974 when Congress looked at President Richard Nixon’s tax returns and again in 2014 when the Ways and Means Committee looked into the IRS’s handling of application for nonprofits.

Trump said during the campaign that he would not release his tax returns because they were being audited. But Pascrell is adamant in arguing that what Trump said during the campaign does not matter now. Pascrell said, “if there are conflicts (regarding Trump’s business dealings), they need to be resolved.” How true.

Pascrell should continue his resolve to get to the bottom of Trump’s tax returns. Trump is not above the law and Congress should not allow him to behave as if he were. I would further suggest that very few people believe Trump actually has turned over his businesses to his kids, and that issue should be resolved as well.

Congress should pressure Trump to either follow the laws of the land, or he should resign from office, or Congress should do its job and impeach him. The Republicans don’t seem to realize that they will not be in total control forever. When they’re not, will it be OK with them if Democrats behave the same way GOP is now?

Casper T. Green Franklin