Yet Another Scandal

The Internal Revenue Service is required by law to turn over any taxpayer's income tax returns upon request. This federal law was adopted in the wake of the Teapot Dome Scandal to keep the process away from interference by administration officials.

Yet Donald Trump's Secretary of the Treasury revealed yesterday that is department's lawyers consulted with the White House general counsel’s office about release of Trump’s returns (details here). Per the linked article, the treasury secretary
"had not previously revealed that the White House was playing any official role in the Treasury Department’s decision on releasing Trump’s tax returns."

On Sunday, Trump's chief of staff said the committee would never receive the returns (details here). Apparently Trump and his people think they can force Internal Revenue Service personnel to violate federal law.

Republicans on Capitol Hill have accused Democrats for attempting a political stunt in demanding the returns. A few years ago, these same Republicans used the same law to obtain tax returns for several Obama administration officials (details here). Those returns were turned over without issue.

Trump's returns are due by today on Capitol Hill. Will the IRS turn them over or will the Trump White House break the law and block their release? Time will tell. Stay tuned.