Donald Trump appeals to US Supreme Court to prevent release of his tax returns

United States President Donald Trump asked the US Supreme Court to reverse a lower court ruling that had ordered Trump's accounting firm, Mazar's USA LLP to hand over eight years of his tax returns to prosecutors. Jay Sekulow, Trump's lawyer reportedly said that the subpoena violated the US Constitution and therefore, is unenforceable. President Trump appealed a November 4 ruling by Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance in which he sought the returns as part of a criminal investigation into Trump and his family's real estate business. 

President Trump's lawyers have reportedly said that he can not be subjected to any criminal process while he remains president. They have further added that even if Trump is not immune, the subpoena is not valid because Vance has not shown any specific need for the information. In October, a US federal judge had also rejected President Trump's challenge to the release of his tax returns, saying that Trump's broad claim of immunity from all criminal investigations is at odds with the Constitution of the US. The immunity could not stop Vance from getting the returns from the third party, or from prosecuting him once he leaves the office. The 2nd Circuit Chief Judge Robert Katzmann reportedly wrote in a decision that the immunity would exact a heavy toll on the criminal justice system to prohibit a state from even investigating potential crimes committed by President Trump for potential later prosecution. Vance has further agreed not to enforce the subpoena while Trump petitions the Supreme Court. 

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Deutsche Bank statement

Deutsche Bank last month had further told the US appeal court that it does not have copies of US President Donald Trump’s tax returns, shutting one possible avenue for the Democratic-led US House of Representatives to acquire the returns. Trump had appealed the court to block Deutsche Bank from releasing bank statements related to himself and his family which the House Financial Services Committee and Intelligence Committee subpoenaed in April.

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