President Trump’s legal team announced that a federal court decision on his tax returns being turned over to New York prosecutors will be appealed to the Supreme Court.
The president’s attorneys addressed a ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, which requires he turn over eight years of tax returns, saying in a statement on Monday that “constitutional issues” are at stake and an appeal will be made to the high court.
“The decision of the Second Circuit will be taken to the Supreme Court. The issue raised in this case goes to the heart of our Republic,” Jay Sekulow, counsel to the president, said. “The constitutional issues are significant.”
President Trump’s Counsel Jay Sekulow responds: “The decision of the Second Circuit will be taken to the Supreme Court. The issue raised in this case go to the heart of our Republic. The constitutional issues are significant.”
— Jared Halpern (@JaredHalpern) November 4, 2019
A subpoena from a state grand jury for the president’s accounting records was not blocked by the Second Circuit court Monday, dismissing what U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero described as Trump’s “categorical and limitless assertion of presidential immunity.”
“We hold, however, that any presidential immunity from state criminal process does not extend to investigative steps like the grand jury subpoena at issue here,” the ruling read.
“We accordingly AFFIRM the district court’s decision on the immunity question, which we construe as an order denying a preliminary injunction, VACATE the judgment of the district court dismissing the complaint on the ground of Younger abstention, and REMAND for further proceedings consistent with this opinion,” it continued.
Noting Presidential immunity, the opinion notes “There is no obvious reason why a state could not begin to investigate a President during his term and, with the information secured during that search, ultimately determine to prosecute him after he leaves office.”
— Jared Halpern (@JaredHalpern) November 4, 2019
In September, Trump sued Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr., a Democrat, arguing that a subpoena to the accounting firm Mazars USA was “unconstitutional.”
“Because the Mazars subpoena attempts to criminally investigate a sitting president, it is unconstitutional,” the court papers argued. “This court should declare it invalid and enjoin its enforcement until the president is no longer in office.”
Vance was seeking the tax returns as part of a criminal investigation into the president and his family’s real estate business. Trump has continued to fight to keep his tax returns, that precede his time as president, from being released publicly.
But at the beginning of last month, Marrero dismissed Trump’s argument, slamming the claims of immunity.
“As the Court reads it, presidential immunity would stretch to cover every phase of criminal proceedings, including investigations, grand jury proceedings and subpoenas, indictment, prosecution, arrest, trial, conviction, and incarceration,” Marrero wrote in that decision. “That constitutional protection presumably would encompass any conduct, at any time, in any forum, whether federal or state, and whether the President acted alone or in concert with other individuals.”
The president’s attorneys then appealed to the Second Circuit and the three-judge appeals panel, in a unanimous ruling, stated that the tax returns have to be turned over to the state grand jury.
Trump announced last week that he had changed his permanent residence from New York to Florida, blaming New York’s political leaders for treating him “very badly” over the years despite the millions in taxes he has paid.
Trump cites taxes, Dem harassment as he bids farewell to New York, declares Florida home state https://t.co/G8oiOGh4ih pic.twitter.com/fPzDBJjkZg
— Conservative News (@BIZPACReview) November 1, 2019
While many of the president’s critics celebrated the court’s decision on Monday, others on social media blasted the ongoing maneuvers against the president.
What’s the point? Why do we need President Trump’s tax returns? @CBSNews @CNN @CNNPolitics @CNNBusiness @NBCNews @ABC @MSNBC
— CM Hill (@hill_cm) November 4, 2019
WHY ARE ALL MEMBERS OF CONGRESS WORRIED ABOUT THE TAX RETURNS OF A PRESIDENT WHO IS WORKING FOR FREE? Just another idiotic stunt by the demonrats. ??? https://t.co/uhKO3oMAbT
— 1Donna Sue (@D0nnasue1) November 4, 2019
Next stop, Supreme Court and a win for Trump.
— CP (@cprice1440) November 4, 2019
Why? What’s the justification? Why hand over tax returns??? No crime. Refuse, Mr President. It’s NOT the business of the Dems or anyone else! If they can do this to you, none of us is safe from their witchhunt. I wonder what the ACLU thinks about this
— Bill Smith (@BillSmi74636539) November 4, 2019
Leftist federal court connected to the Democrats trying to harm the President! I do not care about tax returns, I care about national security, healthcare, the wall, the economy & worry about the Socialistic Democrat Party, trying to undermine our duly elected President.
— Joy Trushenski (@JoyTrushenski) November 4, 2019
All the mouth-breathers clamoring to look at then-private-citizen Trump’s tax papers should have all THEIR private info made public. Tit for tat….
— DD Tower (@tower_dd) November 4, 2019
Democrats are just looking for more content to sling at the wall like the useless shit flinging monkeys they are. I want to see the tax returns of all the career politicians of both sides instead so I can follow how they all got rich.
— The Trumpist (@TheTrumpist1) November 4, 2019
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.
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