Democratic lawmakers have given President Donald Trump until 23 April to hand over his tax returns.
Democrats seized on the issue of Trump’s undisclosed taxes since taking control of the House of Representatives and citing a little-known law that allows Congress to review anyone’s returns to conduct an investigation.
On Saturday they gave tax authorities a new and final deadline to get their hands on the president’s tax returns after an initial April 10 deadline lapsed.
The lawmakers could go to court to seek the returns if the IRS does not turn them over.
Press TV reports: The announcement was made as part of an investigation launched in the Democratic-held House of Representatives.
“I am aware that concerns have been raised regarding my request and the authority of the Committee,” House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal said in a letter to Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner Charles Rettig. “Those concerns lack merit.”
United States Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin said the administration would respond by the revised deadline.
“I’m sure we’ll respond by that deadline, not going to make a commitment prematurely whether we’ll be able to conclude a legal review by that deadline,” Mnuchin said. “We have people working on it diligently.”
Trump has refused to release his tax returns arguing that they are being audited, a claim rejected by the IRS.
Niamh Harris