House Dems to Hold Hearing on Bill Requiring Release of Trump’s Taxes

The Democrat-controlled House Ways and Means Oversight Subcommittee is holding a hearing on Thursday to look at a bill that would require President Trump to release his tax returns, it announced earlier this week.

The hearing is part of Democrats’ efforts to investigate the Trump administration and obtain the president’s tax returns after gaining control of the House in November.

The hearing will look at a bill proposed by Democrat Reps. Anna Eshoo (CA) and Bill Pascrell (NJ) that would require sitting presidents and vice presidents, and candidates of major parties, to publicly disclose their ten most recent federal income tax returns.

This hearing would be the Ways and Means Oversight Subcommittee’s first hearing. The subcommittee is chaired by Rep. John Lewis (D-GA).

Eshoo and Pascrell said in a joint statement that the hearing is a “welcome sign that transparency remains a central focus of our new Congress.”

“We look forward to using this first hearing to discuss the critical importance of full tax disclosure for any man or woman seeking the presidency and how our Presidential Tax Transparency Act would create permanent sunlight for our nation,” she said.

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal (D-MA) is also expected to request Trump’s tax returns from the Treasury Department, but he has said he is proceeding carefully, since it is likely to end up in court.

“This is a legal proceeding,” he told reporters Wednesday, according to The Hill.

Presidents are not required by law to release their tax returns, although the last six presidents have done so in office. Trump, a businessman before he became president, has said he may release his tax returns after he is out of office.