Tag: bill pascrell

A fractious afternoon hearing of a Ways and Means oversight subcommittee was intended to begin building a case that Mr. Trump’s withholding of his returns was not only flouting modern political norms but also potentially hiding violations of federal tax laws and compromising the interests of the United States. But by the time the gavel fell in the Ways and Means hearing room, the Democrats had already made clear they were undeterred. The statute in question — Section 6103 of the federal tax code — gives the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee extraordinary powers to request that the Treasury Department release to him tax information on any filer, including the president. The provision allows the committee to review the tax information privately, but it would have to vote to disclose any return information or findings to the public. Liberal lawmakers, too, are growing impatient. Nor has he said whether he will request tax information on the Trump Organization or just the president’s personal returns. “This isn’t about the tax returns of presidents and vice presidents but about making sure Congress does not abuse its authority,” he wrote. The current law does not actually require presidents or candidates to release their tax information, they pointed out. Representative Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania, the ranking Republican on the oversight subcommittee, said a committee review would be redundant since the I.R.S. is mandated to audit all presidential returns.

Democratic Congressmen Bill Pascrell, NJ, and Hakeem Jeffries, NY, were part of a group that visited the Elizabeth Contract Detention Facility in Elizabeth, NJ on Sunday. Both lawmakers join Morning Joe to discuss the visit. » Subscribe to MSNBC: http://on.msnbc.com/SubscribeTomsnbc…