Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin answers questions at a White House press briefing. (Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images)
May 11, 2019
After Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin repeatedly refused to comply with requests to hand over President Donald Trump's tax returns--which some legal experts say is clearly required under federal law--the House Ways and Means Committee late Friday subpoenaed both Mnuchin and IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig for the documents.
"The IRS is under a mandatory obligation to provide the information requested," states the subpoena. "The IRS has had more than four weeks to comply with the committee's straightforward request. Therefore, please see the enclosed subpoena."
Stand Up America, a progressive advocacy group that has been pressuring House Democrats to subpoena Trump's tax returns, applauded House Ways and Means Chairman Rep. Richard Neal (D-Mass.) for taking action Friday night after the White House "illegally blocked" his initial request.
"The American people deserve the truth about Trump's deeply concerning conflicts of interest and his profiting from the presidency--and Congress is one step closer to delivering those answers," Stand Up America founder and president Sean Eldridge said in a statement.
"Compliance is not optional," Eldridge added. "If Secretary Mnuchin fails to comply with these subpoenas, Chairman Neal has no option but to hold him in contempt of Congress and take them to court."
\u201cMnuchin is ALREADY refusing to comply with a request from Congress to #ReleaseTheReturns.\n\nThat's flat-out illegal (see: 26 U.S.C. \u00a7 6103(f)).\n\nIf Mnuchin continues to refuse to comply, he should be held in contempt\u2014and Congress should take him to court to get Trump\u2019s returns.\u201d— Stand Up America (@Stand Up America) 1557523075
Trump has vowed to fight all subpoenas issued by congressional Democrats.
On Wednesday, as Common Dreams reported, the House Judiciary Committee voted to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt of Congress for refusing to comply with a subpoena for the unredacted Mueller report and all underlying evidence.
In the face of the Trump White House's refusal to comply with congressional oversight efforts, progressives have urged Democrats to begin sending administration officials to jail.
The same goes for Mnuchin, writer Thor Benson tweeted Friday.
"If Mnuchin doesn't comply," Benson wrote, "throw him in jail."
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
After Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin repeatedly refused to comply with requests to hand over President Donald Trump's tax returns--which some legal experts say is clearly required under federal law--the House Ways and Means Committee late Friday subpoenaed both Mnuchin and IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig for the documents.
"The IRS is under a mandatory obligation to provide the information requested," states the subpoena. "The IRS has had more than four weeks to comply with the committee's straightforward request. Therefore, please see the enclosed subpoena."
Stand Up America, a progressive advocacy group that has been pressuring House Democrats to subpoena Trump's tax returns, applauded House Ways and Means Chairman Rep. Richard Neal (D-Mass.) for taking action Friday night after the White House "illegally blocked" his initial request.
"The American people deserve the truth about Trump's deeply concerning conflicts of interest and his profiting from the presidency--and Congress is one step closer to delivering those answers," Stand Up America founder and president Sean Eldridge said in a statement.
"Compliance is not optional," Eldridge added. "If Secretary Mnuchin fails to comply with these subpoenas, Chairman Neal has no option but to hold him in contempt of Congress and take them to court."
\u201cMnuchin is ALREADY refusing to comply with a request from Congress to #ReleaseTheReturns.\n\nThat's flat-out illegal (see: 26 U.S.C. \u00a7 6103(f)).\n\nIf Mnuchin continues to refuse to comply, he should be held in contempt\u2014and Congress should take him to court to get Trump\u2019s returns.\u201d— Stand Up America (@Stand Up America) 1557523075
Trump has vowed to fight all subpoenas issued by congressional Democrats.
On Wednesday, as Common Dreams reported, the House Judiciary Committee voted to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt of Congress for refusing to comply with a subpoena for the unredacted Mueller report and all underlying evidence.
In the face of the Trump White House's refusal to comply with congressional oversight efforts, progressives have urged Democrats to begin sending administration officials to jail.
The same goes for Mnuchin, writer Thor Benson tweeted Friday.
"If Mnuchin doesn't comply," Benson wrote, "throw him in jail."
After Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin repeatedly refused to comply with requests to hand over President Donald Trump's tax returns--which some legal experts say is clearly required under federal law--the House Ways and Means Committee late Friday subpoenaed both Mnuchin and IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig for the documents.
"The IRS is under a mandatory obligation to provide the information requested," states the subpoena. "The IRS has had more than four weeks to comply with the committee's straightforward request. Therefore, please see the enclosed subpoena."
Stand Up America, a progressive advocacy group that has been pressuring House Democrats to subpoena Trump's tax returns, applauded House Ways and Means Chairman Rep. Richard Neal (D-Mass.) for taking action Friday night after the White House "illegally blocked" his initial request.
"The American people deserve the truth about Trump's deeply concerning conflicts of interest and his profiting from the presidency--and Congress is one step closer to delivering those answers," Stand Up America founder and president Sean Eldridge said in a statement.
"Compliance is not optional," Eldridge added. "If Secretary Mnuchin fails to comply with these subpoenas, Chairman Neal has no option but to hold him in contempt of Congress and take them to court."
\u201cMnuchin is ALREADY refusing to comply with a request from Congress to #ReleaseTheReturns.\n\nThat's flat-out illegal (see: 26 U.S.C. \u00a7 6103(f)).\n\nIf Mnuchin continues to refuse to comply, he should be held in contempt\u2014and Congress should take him to court to get Trump\u2019s returns.\u201d— Stand Up America (@Stand Up America) 1557523075
Trump has vowed to fight all subpoenas issued by congressional Democrats.
On Wednesday, as Common Dreams reported, the House Judiciary Committee voted to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt of Congress for refusing to comply with a subpoena for the unredacted Mueller report and all underlying evidence.
In the face of the Trump White House's refusal to comply with congressional oversight efforts, progressives have urged Democrats to begin sending administration officials to jail.
The same goes for Mnuchin, writer Thor Benson tweeted Friday.
"If Mnuchin doesn't comply," Benson wrote, "throw him in jail."
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.