Another House Democrat says that the time for the House Ways and Means Committee to request President Trump’s tax returns is now.
Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) believes that “now is the time to do so,” according to his spokeswoman in a statement to TPM.
The statement from Doggett’s office comes as pressure to issue the request continues to mount.
Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-NJ) reportedly demanded last week that House Ways and Means chairman Richard Neal (D-MA) request the returns.
“There’s no reason to delay anymore,” Pascrell reportedly said. “In fact, there’s every reason to act now.”
An obscure, Roaring Twenties-era provision grants the heads of three congressional committees the power to request and receive the tax returns of any filer from the Treasury secretary.
Neal, as head of the Ways and Means Committee, is the only Democrat currently empowered to make the request.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is expected to refuse the request, setting the stage for a court battle over the issue. That, in turn, has led House Democrats to take a cautious approach towards laying the groundwork for the request itself, with future litigation firmly in mind.
NBC reported on Friday that Neal had told committee lawyers to prepare the request. It will potentially come over the next few weeks, as Ways and Means coordinates with other committees investigating the president’s finances.
