Supreme Court on subpoena

The battle over President Trump’s financial records lands in the Supreme Court on Tuesday as the justices hear arguments on whether the firms that have handled Trump’s finances must turn over documents to the House and New York District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr., each of which has issued a valid subpoena. The court should insist that these subpoenas finally be respected.

After the Democrats won a House majority in 2018, committees issued subpoenas to Mazars USA, an accounting firm, and Deutsche Bank, which lent money to Trump’s businesses. The president sued to prevent these firms from complying. Despite failing to convince lower courts that the House subpoenas should be ignored, the document handover was delayed while the dispute is litigated.

Meanwhile, Vance convened a New York grand jury to investigate potential violations of state law, which also subpoenaed Mazars. Once again, Trump’s lawyers failed to convince any lower courts that Mazars should refrain from turning over its documents, but the subpoenas remain unenforced.

Trump’s lawyers argue that the House has no legitimate legislative purpose but wants to turn itself into a law enforcement body. But then, in fending off the district attorney’s subpoena, Trump’s lawyers turn around and argue that the Constitution allows only Congress, not state or federal law enforcement officers, to hold the president to account while he is in office. (AP)