Jun 14, 2019 - Politics & Policy

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:

Go deeper

Updated 26 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

Global: Total confirmed cases as of 3 a.m. ET: 31,032,045 — Total deaths: 960,729— Total recoveries: 21,255,717 — Map.
U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 3 a.m. ET: 6,805,342 — Total deaths: 199,511 — Total recoveries: 2,590,671 — Total tests: 95,108,559 — Map.
Politics: Testing czar on Trump's CDC contradictions: "Everybody is right" — Ex-FDA chief: Career scientists won't be "easily cowed" by political vaccine pressure.
Education: What we overlooked in the switch to remote learning.
Health: The dwindling chances of eliminating COVID-19 — 7 states set single-day coronavirus case records last week.
World: England sets £10,000 fine for breaking self-isolation rules — The countries painting their pandemic recoveries green.

Go deeper (<1 min. read)

Rebecca Falconer

Updated 45 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Biden raises $141 million more than Trump

Combination images of President Trump and his 2020 presidential rival Joe Biden. Photo: Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images/Alex Wong/Getty Images

Joe Biden's campaign, the Democratic National Committee and joint fundraising committees raised $466 million cash on hand, the presidential candidate's team announced late Sunday.

Why it matters: President Trump's campaign raised $325 million cash on hand, his campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh announced Friday. In the spring, Biden was $187 million behind Trump and the Republican National Committee.

Go deeper (1 min. read)

Sara Fischer, author of Media Trends

4 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Virtual Emmys address chaotic year for American TV and society

Emmy Host Jimmy Kimmel during rehearsals Friday for the 72nd Annual Emmy Awards at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Photo: Al Seib/ Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

The Emmy Awards Sunday night addressed the major U.S. issues this year — including the protests on systemic racism and police brutality, the wildfires engulfing parts of the West Coast, the census, the pandemic, essential works and the election.

Why it matters: Award shows have always addressed wider cultural issues, but this year — amid unprecedented stress and uncertainty — that trend has accelerated.

Go deeper (1 min. read)