House Ways and Means Invokes ‘Centuries’ of Congressional Oversight in Tax Returns Case

In a memorandum filed in support of a motion for summary judgment on Aug. 20, the House Committee on Ways and Means argued that the committee must obtain President Trump’s tax returns in order to continue its oversight of and investigation into Trump’s financial records. The filing argues that the Department of Justice is attempting to limit congressional oversight by not releasing the tax returns to the committee and that sustaining this denial of the tax returns based on these claims is unlawful and would “allow Executive Branch agencies to disregard all manner of Congressional requests for information—requests that, for two centuries, have been regarded as within the heartland of Congress’s legislative and investigatory powers.” The document is available here and below.