Court rules House should get Trump financial records
WASHINGTON — A federal appeals court ruled Friday that President Donald Trump's financial records must be turned over to the House of Representatives.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit said that lawmakers should get the documents they have subpoenaed from Mazars USA. The firm has provided accounting services to Trump.
Trump went to court to prevent Mazars from turning over the records. He could appeal to the Supreme Court.
Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., chairman of the House committee that is seeking the records, called for prompt compliance. “After months of delay, it is time for the President to stop blocking Mazars from complying with the Committee's lawful subpoena,” Cummings said in a statement.
The House Committee on Oversight and Reform subpoenaed records from Maza rs in April. They include documents from 2011 to 2018 that the House wants for investigation into the president's reporting of his finances and potential conflicts of interest. The list of documents makes no mention of Trump's tax returns, which are the subject of separate legal disputes.
In a 2-1 ruling, the appeals court batted away Trump's legal claims.
“Contrary to the President's arguments, the Committee possesses authority under both the House Rules and the Constitution to issue the subpoena, and Mazars must comply ,” Judge David Tatel wrote, joined by Judge Patricia Millett. Tatel was appointed by President Bill Clinton. Millett is an appointee of President Barack Obama.
Trump appointee Neomi Rao wrote in dissent that the committee should have asked for the records under the House's impeachment power, not its legislative authority.
“The Constitution and our historical practice draw a consistent line between the legislative and judicial powers of Congress. The majority crosses this boundary for the first time by upholding this subpoena investigating the illegal conduct of the President under the legislative power,” Rao wrote.