Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, in a letter Monday, denied House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal's request for President Trump's tax returns, saying the request lacked a “legitimate legislative purpose.”“As you have recognized, the Committee’s request is unprecedented, and it presents serious constitutional questions, the resolution of which may have lasting consequences for all taxpayers,” the letter read. Mnuchin told the Massachusetts Democrat he'd relied on the advice of the Justice Department. The move, which was expected, is sure to set in motion a legal battle over Trump’s tax returns. Neal originally demanded access to Trump’s tax returns in early April under a law that said the IRS “shall furnish” the returns of any taxpayer to a handful of top lawmakers, including the chair of the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee. The White House and the president’s attorneys declined to comment on the deadline to turn over Trump’s returns.

Source: Fox News May 06, 2019 21:49 UTC