Donald Trump, the US President, steps off Air Force One at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas upon his arrival on September 20, 2018. Trump will be attending a rally in Las Vegas.The Department of Justice announced Friday that the IRS must release the income tax returns of former President Donald Trump to Congress.The DOJ's Office of Legal Counsel stated that Trump's request to see Trump's tax returns was legitimately made by the Democratic-lead House Ways and Means Committee. It had stated the objective of assessing the IRS's audits of presidents' tax returns.This 39-page opinion reverses an opinion that was issued by the same office during Trump's administration. It had supported the refusal of the IRS to provide Trump's returns to the committee.Federal law gives tax-related committees of Congress a broad right to request taxpayer information from Treasury Department, which is the parent of the IRS, according to the new opinion."The statute in question here is unambiguous: "Upon written request" of the Chairman of one of three congressional tax committees the Secretary'shall furnish’ the requested tax information the Committee," Friday's opinion stated.Although these committees can't compel the executive branch to disclose that information, the opinion stated that tax returns should not be withheld from the committees in "exceptional circumstances" and when the request is "without a legitimate legislative purpose."According to the opinion, the OLC "went wrong" in 2019, suggesting that the executive should "closely examine the Committee's stated justifications" and not give deference or respect to the legislative branch.This decision comes nearly a year after Trump's longtime accountants told the U.S. Supreme Court that Trump's tax returns, and other financial records, had to be handed over to Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. because of a subpoena.Vance charged the Trump Organization and its long-serving chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg July 1 with crimes related to an alleged scheme to avoid paying taxes on compensation for the CFO.Trump broke decades-old precedent by refusing to release his income tax returns, despite being a presidential candidate.As a reason for not disclosing his returns, he claimed that his tax returns were being audited by the IRS.However, taxpayers are allowed to release their returns to the public regardless of whether audits are taking place.Trump is likely to be furious at the Justice Department's opinion. It was written by Merrick Garland, an attorney general.A Trump spokeswoman did not respond immediately to a request for comment.Richard Neal (D-Massachusetts), Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, stated in a statement that "As I've maintained for years, Committee's case has been very strong and law is on our side."Neal stated, "I am happy that the Department of Justice agrees with me and that we are able to move forward."In July 2019, Neal's committee sued the IRS and Treasury Department to obtain Trump's tax returns. This was after Steven Mnuchin, then-Treasury secretary, and the head tax agency refused subpoenas requiring six years' worth of Trump's business and personal returns. Mnuchin argued at the time that the committee was not authorized to seek the documents.Nancy Pelosi (D-California), House Speaker, stated in a statement that the Biden Administration had won a victory for rule of law by respecting the public interest and complying with Chairman Neal’s request for Donald Trump’s tax returns.Pelosi stated, "As Speaker of the House of Representatives I applaud Chairman Neal's dignified pursuit of truth and the Biden Administration Department of Justice's respect for the law."She stated that access to tax returns of former President Trump is an issue of national security. "The American people should know the truth about his troubling conflicts and undermining our democracy and security as president."
