April 10,2020

Wyden Statement on IG Report on Treasury’s Handling of Request for Trump’s Taxes

Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today issued the following statement on the Inspector General’s report on the Treasury Department’s handling of Chairman Richard Neal’s, D-Mass., request for Donald Trump’s tax returns under section 6103 of the tax code:

“The Inspector General’s review falls far short, taking the word of Treasury Department officials that they did nothing wrong at face value and dismissing contradictory interviews.

“The report notes that there was no formal documentation of how Chairman Neal’s request was handled. It provides no legal explanation for the Treasury Department’s decision to ignore the normal process and a crystal-clear law that requires that these records be turned over. It also provides no legal explanation for the unprecedented decision to seek a Justice Department opinion in response to a request from one of the tax committee chairmen.

“In addition, the report provides no factual basis for its conclusion that an unsolicited letter from the president’s personal attorney had no effect on the process other than assurances from these same Treasury officials that it didn’t. This is a serious matter that deserved a much more thorough investigation.” 

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