Trump Sues To Prevent Release Of Tax Returns; Targets House, New York Officials

President Donald Trump on Tuesday filed a lawsuit in his personal capacity against the House Ways and Means Committee dominated by Democrats, the New York state attorney general and the New York tax commissioner to keep them from acquiring his state tax returns and using them against him.

Trump vowed to release his tax returns while campaigning as president but took it back after taking office. In his new lawsuit, Trump seeks a series of injunctions and restraining orders from the court.

"We have filed a lawsuit today in our ongoing efforts to end presidential harassment,” said Jay Sekulow, counsel to the president. “The targeting of the president by the House Ways and Means Committee, the New York Attorney General, and a New York tax official violates Article 1 of the US Constitution.”

Trump’s refusal to hand over his tax returns was made complicated on July 8 when New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a bill to allow Congress to access Trump’s state tax returns. The bill became effective immediately.

The bill requires the New York State to release Trump’s state tax returns for any legitimate purpose upon request from the House Ways and Means Committee, the Senate Finance Committee, or the Joint Committee on Taxation.

This latest lawsuit is the fourth so far this year involving Trump and his effort to keep his tax returns and financial records from Democrats in Congress.

On April 29, Trump, his three oldest children and the Trump Organization sued Deutsche Bank AG and Capital One Financial Corporation to try and block them from responding to subpoenas issued by congressional Democrats seeking financial records.

On May 22, however, Judge Edgardo Ramos ruled Deutsche Bank and Capital One can turn over financial documents related to Trump and his businesses in response to subpoenas from House Democrats.

Ramos’ decision came two days after another federal judge, Amit Mehta of the District Court in Washington, D.C., said Mazars, Trump’s accounting firm, had to comply with a congressional subpoena for his financial records. It was a huge win for House Democrats.

Mehta rejected Trump's attempt to block the committee's subpoena saying, "It is simply not fathomable that a Constitution that grants Congress the power to remove a president for reasons including criminal behavior would deny Congress the power to investigate him for unlawful conduct -- past or present -- even without formally opening an impeachment inquiry.”

Trump is appealing both court decisions, and the cases should be resolved in August.

Earlier this month, the Democrat-led House Ways and Means Committee filed a lawsuit to enforce subpoenas and obtain Trump's tax returns. The lawsuit was filed in D.C. District Court against the Treasury Department and the IRS and their respective heads, Steve Mnuchin and Charles Rettig.

Democrats on Neal's committee argue they need Trump's tax returns to understand how the IRS administers the presidential audit program.