President Trump has lost a battle to keep his taxes private.
The Supreme Court has ruled that state prosecutors in New York can have access to his taxes and financial records. The Manhattan D.A. is investigating possible crimes related to the alleged hush money paid to Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal. Both women claim to have had affairs with Trump long before he entered the political arena. (USA Today)
But the Court has issued a separate ruling that will keep House Democrats from getting their hands on Trump’s financials. In another 7-to-2 ruling, the Justices overturned lower-court rulings allowing Congressional subpoenas. The decision doesn’t actually end the battle, though — it simply returns the issue to those lower courts with instructions to take into account the separation of powers in the Constitution. Unless Trump is re-elected, this likely means the records will remain out of public view while he’s in office. (CBS News)
Hot Takes:
- So basically, a split decision. And since grand juries are secret, we’re not going to see his taxes.
- I have to admit this is kind of a shocker. I expected a conservative Court to side with Trump.
- We may never see the financials themselves, but where the prosecutor goes with them will leave a trail of bread crumbs to follow.
- This sounds like a fishing expedition begun by the New York DA’s office.