Oct 2, 2019

Senate Democrats refer NRA for IRS investigation into Russia ties

Fadel Allassan

Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Finance Committee chair Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) on Wednesday formally requested that the IRS investigate the National Rifle Association for potential violations of tax law related to its interactions with Russian nationals.

The big picture: A report by Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee alleged that the NRA acted as a Russian asset in 2016 by offering a promise of access to elected U.S. officials in exchange for business deals. The revelations raise questions about whether the NRA could lose its tax-exempt status, as tax exempt organizations are not allowed to use funding to personally benefit their officials or for actions significantly outside their stated mission.

Go deeper: The findings from Senate Democrats' report on the NRA

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Alayna Treene

McConnell yet to discuss impeachment timeline with Democratic leaders

House and Senate Leaders, including Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, Mitch McConnell and Kevin McCarthy. Photo: by Ron Sachs-Pool/Getty Images

Mitch McConnell is prepping Senate Republicans for an impeachment trial to begin as early as Thanksgiving, but he has yet to even talk about impeachment with Nancy Pelosi or Chuck Schumer, McConnell's spokesperson David Popp tells me. "Right now it’s way too early," he said.

The big picture: With House Democrats keeping their findings behind closed doors, "we have to assume that they’re going to move faster than we expect them to," a senior GOP aide said. "Thanksgiving and Christmas just happen to be a good mile marker."

Go deeperArrowOct 20, 2019
Rebecca Falconer

DOJ asks judge to temporarily block NY Trump tax returns subpoena

Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

The Justice Department asked a federal judge Wednesday to temporarily block a subpoena from New York prosecutors seeking to obtain 8 years of President Trump's personal and corporate tax returns from his longtime accounting firm, Mazars USA.

Details: In a filing, obtained by Talking Points Memo, Justice Department special counsel Joshua Gardner argues such action would raise several "significant constitutional issues that potentially implicate important interests of the United States" and should be decided in a federal, not state, court.

Go deeperArrowOct 3, 2019
Axios

Appeals court grants Trump stay in legal fight over his tax returns

Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

The Second Circuit Court of Appeals granted President Trump an emergency stay Monday after the president lost a key court ruling over his tax returns, reports Bloomberg.

The state of play: A New York federal judge ruled earlier in the day that Manhattan's district attorney could subpoena 8 years of the president's personal and corporate tax returns from his longtime accounting firm, Mazars USA.

Go deeperArrowUpdated Oct 7, 2019