Rep. Richard Neal: Obtain and release Trump's tax returns now

Chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means: Obtain and release Trump's tax returns now.

Richard Neal, chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means, has the power to obtain and release Trump's tax returns – but so far, he's dragging his feet. Call him now and demand that he do his job and hold Trump accountable. Click below for a sample script and the number to call:

A blockbuster Washington Post report recently revealed that Donald Trump physically took notes away from his interpreter after a meeting with Vladimir Putin, raising serious questions about his potentially compromising financial ties to Russia.1 But because Trump has refused to release his tax returns for years after he promised to do so during the 2016 campaign, we still don't know what Trump is hiding. Chairs of congressional tax-writing committees have the authority to demand that the IRS provide them with tax returns. Rep. Richard Neal, the new chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means, is dragging his feet and refusing to act.2 It's up to us to make it crystal clear to Rep. Neal that the American people expect him to do everything in his power to obtain and release Trump's tax returns without delay. Call Richard Neal, chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means: Obtain and release Trump's tax returns now. Click here for a sample script and the number to call. Why? Trump's tax returns could be key to exposing all sorts of potential corruption: Tax fraud. A breathtaking New York Times investigation found that the Trump family used shell companies, illegal markups and undervalued properties to transfer millions from Fred Trump to Donald and his other children. The reporting not only explodes the myth of Trump the self-made billionaire, but also specifies "instances of outright fraud."3 Compromising financial ties to Russian oligarchs or the super-rich in America. Without a look at his tax returns, the American public cannot know whether Trump’s current debt or his previous business partnerships obligate him financially to Russian oligarchs aligned with Vladimir Putin. Trump’s debt load increased from $350 to $630 million in 2016, when American banks were reluctant to extend Trump credit.4 In 2008, Trump’s son is claimed to have said, “Russians make up a pretty disproportionate cross-section of a lot of our assets. We see a lot of money pouring in from Russia."5 Profiting from the Trump Tax Scam and holding office. A government watchdog filed a lawsuit just days after the inauguration claiming that Trump is in violation of the Constitution because any payments to Trump from foreign entities violates the anti-bribery “emoluments” clause of the Constitution.6 It appears clear that Trump is using his position to enrich himself and his family. We cannot know the extent of Trump's corruption until we see his tax returns. Trump's tax returns could also contribute to policy goals by demonstrating how the ultra-wealthy routinely deceive the government and duck paying their fair share of taxes. But despite all this, Rep. Neal is playing into Trump's hands by delaying using his power to do what voters sent Democrats to do. That's unacceptable and it's time for progressives to fight back. Call Richard Neal, chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means: Obtain and release Trump's tax returns now.  Rep. Richard Neal (202) 225-5601 SAMPLE SCRIPT Hello my name is ___________ and I'm calling to urge the congressman to immediately obtain and release Donald Trump's tax returns. Is Congressman Neal planning to do everything in his power to make sure the American people get to see Trump's tax returns? - Josh Nelson, CREDO Action References: Greg Miller, "Trump has concealed details of his face-to-face encounters with Putin from senior officials in administration," The Washington Post, Jan. 16, 2019. Jeff Hauser and Eleanor Eagan, "The Democrats’ Richie Neal Problem," The American Prospect, Jan 15, 2019. David Barstow, Susanne Craig and Ross Buettner, "Trump Engaged in Suspect Tax Schemes as He Reaped Riches From His Father," The New York Times, Oct. 2, 2018. Josh Marshall, “Trump & Putin. Yes, It's Really a Thing,” Talking Points Memo, July 23, 2016. Tom Hamburger, Rosalind S. Helderman and Michael Birnbaum, “Inside Trump’s financial ties to Russia and his unusual flattery of Vladimir Putin,” The Washington Post, June 17, 2016. Kim Bellware and Cristian Farias, “President Trump Has Already Violated The Constitution, Lawsuit Claims,” HuffPost, Jan. 23, 2017.