Donald Trump goes on the counterattack for his tax returns

Donald Trump’s lawyers have appealed to justice in their attempt to prevent the disclosure of tax returns of the former president to the Democrats in Congress, arguing that the tycoon came into the spotlight for political reasons.

“The demands are aimed at the president Trump “because he is a Republican and a political opponent,” they argued, referring to “retaliation” in their appeal to a federal court in Washington.

Democrats, who control Congress, have been trying for years to look at the tax returns of the 45th president of the United States, the first since 1970 to refuse to disclose them, although his business genius and wealth were among the arguments he made. in his election campaign. Last week the Department of Justice changed its stance and ordered the IRS to hand over this information to a House committee. The Tax Affairs Committee is seeking a six-year tax return before Trump takes office in 2017. He says his goal is to study how the IRS controls the presidents’ finances and make suggestions. changes in legislation, if necessary.

This argument is rejected by Trump. At the time the requests were submitted “no one had mentioned (the Commission) ‘s intention to find out how presidents are controlled by the IRS“, Write his lawyers.

Shortly before last November’s presidential election, the New York Times published a survey based on tax data from 20 years of Trump and his business. According to the newspaper, the tycoon paid just $ 750 in federal taxes in 2016 and absolutely nothing in 10 of the previous 15 years, as he declared bigger losses than revenue. Trump called the information “fake” and said he had paid “a lot of taxes” without elaborating.

James Ripetti, a professor of tax law at Boston Law School, told Reuters and the Athens News Agency that Trump’s arguments were likely to be rejected by the judge.