Cuomo Signs a Bill to Allow Release of Trump's State Tax Returns

[Mrs. Overall]

Source: New York Times

As the battle over President Trump’s federal taxes intensifies in Washington, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo of New York signed a bill on Monday to allow congressional committees to access the president’s state tax returns.

The bill requires state tax officials to release the president’s state returns for any “specified and legitimate legislative purpose” on the request of the chair of one of three congressional committees: the House Ways and Means Committee, the Senate Finance Committee and the Joint Committee on Taxation.

It is effective immediately, though it is unclear whether it would be challenged by the Trump administration, or used by the congressional committees; the Ways and Means Committee, for instance, has said previously that it remains focused on pursuing Mr. Trump’s federal tax information.

Still, the state tax documents from New York — the president’s home state and business headquarters — would likely contain much of the same information as the contested federal returns, tax experts say.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/08/nyregion/trump-ny-taxes-cuomo.html

[katmondoo]

1. It took a long time. I have been waiting for this.

[dalton99a]

2. Now do it.

[ProudMNDemocrat]

3. Trump has NO jurisdiction over State laws.....

Or for that matter, any state where he does business. New Jersey and Florida, though DeSantis will fight in Florida to prevent Trump state returns from getting out. That will make him out to be complicit with Trump in possible money laundering coverup and Tax Evasion.

[ScratchCat]

5. Yes, that comment

About "The Trump Administration" challenging it was weird. There is no legal basis or standing to challenge it in Federal court and it is unlikely the law is in conflict with the NY State Constitution.

[NewJeffCT]

4. I believe Rep. Neal of the House Ways & Means committee

does not want them *right now*, as he believes it may look like a conflict when it comes to their lawsuit in federal court for the federal tax returns.

[CaptainTruth]

7. Yes, it weakens their federal case. They need to establish the law is THE LAW...

... which means Congress has the right to request & receive federal returns, no matter what states do.

That's an important congressional power that must be reaffirmed.

I hope this new law allows release of state returns to STATE agencies only, not federal (ie Congress).

EDIT: Just noted the returns can be released to Congress. I'm sure Cuomo wants to help, but he's not helping Congress defend their authority.

[CaptainTruth]

6. This doesn't help Neal's federal case.

Trump's attorneys will argue Congress doesn't need the federal returns because they have the state returns, if they take them.

[NewJeffCT]

12. However

for the Trump organization with businesses in many states and countries, the federal returns will likely have a lot more information

[bluewater]

8. Bazinga!

Nail the bastard.

[watoos]

9. I disagree with the argument

that getting Trump's state taxes weakens access to his federal taxes. I feel that is just a right wing talking point.

Getting Trump's state taxes doesn't change the meaning of the word "shall" to me.

[tavernier]

10. Until they find some loophole.

There are always hours, days, and weeks after these things, because Congress never moves quickly, and by then, stuff either disappears or gets redacted, or Rump starts a distraction that buries it from the headlines.

[RockRaven]

11. Why didn't they make a state law allowing state tax records to be entered into the public records of

state legislative committees during hearings about legitimate state legislative purposes? Then simply holding a hearing on whether or not POTUS candidates must release their tax returns in order to appear on the ballot, or some similar proposal, could have resulted in the same records entering into the public domain without mucking around with federal law/current House lawsuits...

Am I missing something? They could have made a simpler, broader, more publicly useful law (reporters would have gotten access to those records too), but they did not. By choice. I guess there are too many sleazy rich people in NY for the state leg to be willing to pass a law which might be used to release more tax returns than just Trump's.

[George II]

13. Release them TODAY, before he gets a chance to try to block it.

[jmowreader]

14. This is fun but in the end will be unproductive

We are going to learn two things from these returns: that his income derives largely from renting out his name, and that he loses money in the real estate business he’s so proud of.

People, come on: Trump is street smart enough to know he needs to run a double set of books to hide his illegal activities and Mob ties from the government. Give him at least a little credit: the boy is dumber than a stump but he’s capable of hiring competent help.

[Scurrilous]

15. K&R

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

16. Lock him up!

[EveHammond13]

17. let me guess - Democrats will do nothing on this subject

[essaynnc]

18. We're worried about what ?????

The article mentioned that the reason that nobody wanted to move forward with getting the tax returns was that it might look partisan or bad if the state Democrats trying to pass the law that might look underhanded.

We're worried about Optics?? The Republicans aren't why should we be? To anybody but the base, we know they're just lunatics, willing to do anything to lie to cheat to steal to stay in power. Everybody else sees it! Why should we be concerned about how something like this looks?

I'd like to see something strong and powerful come out of Washington on the Democrat side. I'd respect a lot , and I think that many of the swayable would be too. The weak, mealy mouth talking is not inspiring, nor is it going to get the Republicans to budge.

We're running out of time for baby steps!