Jun 14, 2019

Justice Department backs Treasury on blocking Trump tax returns

Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images

The Department of Justice is backing the Department of Treasury's decision to not release President Trump's tax returns to Congress.

Why it matters: The DOJ is asserting the request for Trump's tax returns serves no "legitimate legislative purpose," and therefore it doesn't have to be fulfilled. The opinion also says it's for this very reason that Congress can't subpoena the documents.

The big picture: Democrats have spent months looking for loopholes to get access to Trump's tax returns, with no success.

The fight for the tax returns is one of the many Congressional Democrats are taking up as they try to access other documents from the Trump administration, including 2020 Census documents.

What's next: The Treasury previously said they crafted their argument based on the advice of the DOJ, and this opinion has no legal weight. A court will still have to rule if Trump's tax returns can be released to Congress.

Read the opinion:

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Dr. Anthony Fauci listens to President Trump speak during a briefing on April 1. Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images

The Trump administration should implement a stay-at-home order for the country, Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said at a CNN town hall on Thursday.

Why it matters: The recommendation stands in contrast to President Trump's calls for "flexibility." Nearly 4o states have issued stay-at-home orders to promote social distancing as a way to combat the novel coronavirus — but the orders vary in strictness and duration.

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