Judge: Hand over Don’s bank records

A judge ruled Wednesday two banks must comply with congressional subpoenas as part of a probe into President Trump’s finances.

Manhattan Federal Judge Edgardo Ramos said from the bench he would not “enjoin enforcement of the subpoenas” on Deutsche Bank and Capital One Bank, calling Trump’s legal arguments “not sufficiently serious.”

The ruling was the second time this week that a federal judge had ruled against Trump’s effort to block inquiries by the House of Representatives into his finances. On Monday a judge in Washington said Trump’s accounting firm must comply with a subpoena from Democrats on the House Oversight Committee. He quickly appealed the ruling and is expected to do the same following the latest courtroom defeat.

Trump had argued in both cases that Congress was seeking to conduct a criminal investigation without proper authority.

His legal team said the subpoenas to Deutsche Bank and Capitol One, which seek years of Trump’s and his family members’ financial records, were a fishing expedition without legislative purpose.

But Congress said the subpoenas from the House’s Financial Services Committee and Intelligence Committee were part of a probe into Russian oligarchs using U.S. banks to launder money. The probe could result in legislation, Congressional attorneys argued.

House General Counsel Douglas Letter said the dispute reflected “a massive, fundamental misunderstanding by Mr. Trump about Congress.”

“He clearly views us as a nuisance,” Letter said.

Deutsche Bank has been Trump’s primary lender throughout his career.

Letter said the financial records from the bank could begin to answer the question, “Why were you lending money to Mr. Trump when other banks wouldn’t touch him?”

The subpoenas were “undeniably broad but clearly pertinent,” Ramos said.

“The propriety of legislative motives is not a question left to the courts,” the judge said.