On behalf of all future holders
On Friday, the Justice Department ordered the Internal Revenue Service to hand over former president Donald Trump’s tax returns to Congress. On Monday, Ronald Fischetti, a lawyer for Trump, said that Trump intends to fight the order.
“There is no evidence of any wrongdoing here and I object to the release of the returns not only on behalf of my client but on behalf of all future holders of the office of the president of the United States,” Fischetti said in statement. He added that “this politicization and harassment of Mr. Trump is uncalled for and outrageous” and that he had “never seen anything like this.”
He doesn’t really object on behalf of all future presidents though. That’s just window dressing, and self-flattery. He couldn’t care less about that, and neither could Trump. If anything Trump would probably like it to happen to future presidents, out of spite.
One problem with the statement, Teri Kanefield says, is that of course there’s evidence of wrongdoing. Remember all those news stories about the unreported apartments and cars and school tuitions? Evidence of wrongdoing. And then there’s Michael Cohen’s testimony. And there’s that massive story the Times did.
Fischetti’s “no evidence of wrongdoing” is an insult to Americans who have been bombarded with such evidence for years.
To be expected from Trump and his enablers.
Also, Congress does get to ask the Executive questions; the two branches are supposed to be equal.
This brings me to the third hole in Fischetti’s defense: the idea that Trump is objecting on behalf of “all future presidents.” Rule of law literally means that the law applies to the president as much as it does to anyone. Anything else is autocracy.
Plus they don’t mean it anyway.
I think that Trump would prefer it happen to past presidents, especially if they’re Black.
But he doesn’t have to choose. He wants it to happen to all of them.
But I thought he was going to voluntarily release his returns as soon as the audit was over?
Is it possible that Trump wasn’t telling the truth?
True.
I for one have long wanted to see Millard Fillmore’s tax returns.
But other presidents have released their tax returns. Without having them subpoenaed. So what’s the big deal, Trump? Are you a bigger crook than past and present presidents? I think we all know the answer to that.
Nah. Impossible.
This never made sense to me, anyway. Why wait until after the IRS has audited and found even MORE that he was trying to hide? He should have just posted them in Times Square if that was the only reason.