SCOTUS Makes Major Ruling Regarding Trump Tax Returns

For years now, Donald Trump has insisted that he would gladly release his tax returns, but that he had been vociferously advised against it by his lawyers.  There was an audit taking place and Trump’s team didn’t want any added scrutiny, especially in such a public way, as the revenuers finished their probe.

Now, with Trump out of the White House and back at Mar-a-Lago, the audit continues, and the ex-President’s tax return are still being held close to the chest.

In fact, Trump’s team has been so stingy with the records that a state-level investigation in New York has had to take the issue up with the Supreme Court.

The U.S. Supreme Court declined Monday to block a New York grand jury from getting President Donald Trump’s personal and corporate tax returns, a decisive defeat in his prolonged legal battle to keep his tax records out of the hands of investigators.

The ruling does not mean the returns will become public any time soon, and they might never be publicly released. Under state law, materials turned over to a grand jury must be kept secret. But Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance can now require Trump’s accountants to turn over the records that the president has steadfastly refused to surrender to prosecutors or Congress.

“The work continues,” Vance said in response to the Supreme Court order.

This state-level investigation could be trouble for Donald Trump, who some believe may have issued a secret, “pocket” pardon for himself before leaving office.

State charges are not within the jurisdiction of the presidential pardon, however, leaving some room for New York’s investigators to get to Trump.