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Was this why the IRS didn't release Trump's tax returns?

9-10ths_Penguin

1/10 Subway Stalinist
Premium Member
Turns out that the head of the IRS has a pecuniary interest in the value of the Trump brand:

IRS Chief Makes More Than $100,000 Per Year Off Trump Property, Documents Show

The commissioner of the IRS—who is responsible for releasing President Trump's tax returns to Congress—owns two rental properties at the Trump International Waikiki that he profits off of while in office, according to new documents obtained by a watchdog group in Washington, raising new questions about his withholding of Trump’s tax returns as the president goes to court to keep them hidden.

[...]

Rettig, who failed to disclose his connection to the Trump property when first appointed, told House lawmakers in 2019 that it was ultimately his decision—under the supervision of Treasury Sec. Steven Mnuchin—whether or not to turn over Trump’s federal tax returns to Congress, as House Democrats have requested.

Rettig denied the request for Trump’s tax documents in May 2019, with Mnuchin telling lawmakers that their subpoena for the president’s tax returns “lacks a legitimate legislative purpose.”

[...]

“The IRS Commissioner has a vested interest in the success of the Trump brand—and of preventing anything that could damage it,” CREW said in a post revealing the Rettig documents, speculating that it could be “toxic” for the value of Rettig’s property “if a bombshell in [Trump’s] tax returns were released.”

IRS Chief Makes More Than $100,000 Per Year Off Trump Property, Documents Show

Was this why he refused to comply when Trump's tax returns were subpoenaed? I guess time will tell.

At the very least, it seems ethically dubious for Rettig not to have declared a conflict of interest and stayed out of this matter.
 

Kenny

Face to face with my Father
Premium Member
Turns out that the head of the IRS has a pecuniary interest in the value of the Trump brand:



IRS Chief Makes More Than $100,000 Per Year Off Trump Property, Documents Show

Was this why he refused to comply when Trump's tax returns were subpoenaed? I guess time will tell.

At the very least, it seems ethically dubious for Rettig not to have declared a conflict of interest and stayed out of this matter.
That may be true (about the money the chief makes) - but releasing the IRS of ANYBODY is more than just release when someone asks. There are a multiplicity of regulations to keep the privacy of citizens.

If he did release it, then obviously the hoops were overcome.
 

Kenny

Face to face with my Father
Premium Member

ecco

Veteran Member
The Trump swamp gets more fetid every day.

Rettig, who failed to disclose his connection to the Trump property when first appointed, told House lawmakers in 2019 that it was ultimately his decision—under the supervision of Treasury Sec. Steven Mnuchin—whether or not to turn over Trump’s federal tax returns to Congress, as House Democrats have requested.

Rettig denied the request for Trump’s tax documents in May 2019, with Mnuchin telling lawmakers that their subpoena for the president’s tax returns “lacks a legitimate legislative purpose.”

 

metis

aged ecumenical anthropologist
I think it much more important to focus on what Trump did and or didn't do than any side-bars.

When one stops and thinks about this, many things tend to click into place, and they don't bode well for Trump nor for the country. I have doubted for a long time that Trump would leave if he loses, and I think his utter contempt for the rule of law should be of great concern for anyone who lives here. As Thomas Friedman said this last weekend, we're in the beginning of what could likely be a "six-alarm fire" because of Trump's contempt for the Constitution and that very few Republicans are willing to stand up to him.
 

sun rise

The world is on fire
Premium Member
A subpoena isn't a mandate if it can be proven a wrong subpoena. Processes must be preserved if we all are to have privacy.

Trump's tax returns: Appeals court hears from Trump attorney, NYC DA

it is a court issue because of privacy laws lest people use tax returns as a weapon.

Tax Return Confidentiality and Disclosure Laws - FindLaw
Trump's history is that he uses and abuses the legal system with endless appeals and lawsuits to keep prosecutors from seeing if a crime has been committed.

As to the OP, corruption in high places is a feature of this regime in power and is therefore utterly not surprising to me.
 

Evangelicalhumanist

"Truth" isn't a thing...
Premium Member
I think it much more important to focus on what Trump did and or didn't do than any side-bars.

When one stops and thinks about this, many things tend to click into place, and they don't bode well for Trump nor for the country. I have doubted for a long time that Trump would leave if he loses, and I think his utter contempt for the rule of law should be of great concern for anyone who lives here. As Thomas Friedman said this last weekend, we're in the beginning of what could likely be a "six-alarm fire" because of Trump's contempt for the Constitution and that very few Republicans are willing to stand up to him.
Those highlighted words are pretty condemnatory, @metis, thank you for them.
 
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wandering peacefully

Which way to the woods?
A subpoena isn't a mandate if it can be proven a wrong subpoena. Processes must be preserved if we all are to have privacy.

Trump's tax returns: Appeals court hears from Trump attorney, NYC DA

it is a court issue because of privacy laws lest people use tax returns as a weapon.

Tax Return Confidentiality and Disclosure Laws - FindLaw
I still see the real question is why does Trump want to keep them secret in the first place. When that question is ultimately answered we get to the bottom of why our particular capitalis system only works for those at the very top. Literally in Trump's case. He wants to keep America just like it has become. An oligarchy.

If he is such a brilliant business man he should be proud to show his returns. It seems his idea of a successful business model is to keep borrowing and spending enough to be able to lose enough not to have to pay any tax.
 

Twilight Hue

Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
Turns out that the head of the IRS has a pecuniary interest in the value of the Trump brand:



IRS Chief Makes More Than $100,000 Per Year Off Trump Property, Documents Show

Was this why he refused to comply when Trump's tax returns were subpoenaed? I guess time will tell.

At the very least, it seems ethically dubious for Rettig not to have declared a conflict of interest and stayed out of this matter.
Its still not a law for a president to release personal tax information to the public.

People dont seem to get that through their heads. Its just a tradition as far as I know and not a required directive. Correct me if I'm wrong here.

That said, Trump did promise a voluntary release and reneged on that promise. Theres no denying that.

For what its worth, I personally think he should of released it sooner than later because Its no big secret that one percenters and uber wealthy take advantage of the tax code in order to pay little or no tax on a personal level.
 

Twilight Hue

Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
I still see the real question is why does Trump want to keep them secret in the first place. When that question is ultimately answered we get to the bottom of why our particular capitalis system only works for those at the very top. Literally in Trump's case. He wants to keep America just like it has become. An oligarchy.

If he is such a brilliant business man he should be proud to show his returns. It seems his idea of a successful business model is to keep borrowing and spending enough to be able to lose enough not to have to pay any tax.
It seem to be a decision based on ego.
 

Twilight Hue

Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
Not Trump....he has an ego? I thinks it that ego keeping him from wanting to expose what a lousy businessman and a cheating scumbag he really is. But that is how our system is set up. So he should be proud to be so successful at it.
You just described the entirety of pretty much every politician out there.
 

Watchmen

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
Trump's history is that he uses and abuses the legal system with endless appeals and lawsuits to keep prosecutors from seeing if a crime has been committed.

As to the OP, corruption in high places is a feature of this regime in power and is therefore utterly not surprising to me.

Got it. So you’re against the legal system. Would you say the same thing if the case involved a minority transgender person terminated from employment due to gender non-conformity?
 

Brickjectivity

Turned to Stone. Now I stretch daily.
Staff member
Premium Member
Turns out that the head of the IRS has a pecuniary interest in the value of the Trump brand:



IRS Chief Makes More Than $100,000 Per Year Off Trump Property, Documents Show

Was this why he refused to comply when Trump's tax returns were subpoenaed? I guess time will tell.

At the very least, it seems ethically dubious for Rettig not to have declared a conflict of interest and stayed out of this matter.
Wow. IRS is supposed to be like that guy on Stranger Than Fiction, but its more like that guard on Hogan's Heroes.
 

Kenny

Face to face with my Father
Premium Member
I still see the real question is why does Trump want to keep them secret in the first place. When that question is ultimately answered we get to the bottom of why our particular capitalis system only works for those at the very top. Literally in Trump's case. He wants to keep America just like it has become. An oligarchy.

If he is such a brilliant business man he should be proud to show his returns. It seems his idea of a successful business model is to keep borrowing and spending enough to be able to lose enough not to have to pay any tax.
I think, imo, because it is politically motivated. For an example:

Someone Leaked 10 Years Of Trump’s Tax Info To The New York Times

So, already leaked (without proper authorization) 10 years of tax information that was suppose to be private and used for strictly political reasons... a weapon.

How many private citizens would be upset if the IRS began using private information as a weapon? The law says it is private unless there is foul play... if 10 years has already been leaked... what more is there needed?

We know he already is giving all of his salary back to the government.. what reason is there for more tax info?

I always go back to "whatever liberty you give away, you never can get it back". I am more worried about what that means for the average person (precedent) than what Trump did with his money (since no evil has been unearthed).

Now, if we had seen he was a tax crook, then we have legal recourse to ask for tax information. At this point, all we see is that he uses legal loopholes (that both parties use and were created by) - just like we use every legal loophole that people can use.
 
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Shadow Wolf

Certified People sTabber
A subpoena isn't a mandate if it can be proven a wrong subpoena. Processes must be preserved if we all are to have privacy.

Trump's tax returns: Appeals court hears from Trump attorney, NYC DA

it is a court issue because of privacy laws lest people use tax returns as a weapon.

Tax Return Confidentiality and Disclosure Laws - FindLaw
A court subpoena is the only thing that grant non-release form authorized access to someone's medical records, because its WAY more than merely asking.
Bit there are regulations against such a blatant abuse of position and exploitation for personal gain.
 
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