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Updated March 4th, 2021 at 19:34 IST

Trump tax returns case: Biden administration proceeds with 'caution' as asks for more time

US District Judge Trevor McFadden, who was appointed by Trump, gave more time in accordance with the formal request filed by Biden administration.

Reported by: Zaini Majeed
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Joe Biden administration on Wednesday took more time from the federal judge to decide whether to overturn the former president Donald Trump’s tax returns to Congress. The US president appears to move with caution to proceed in the legal battle initiated by the House Democrats against the 45th president. Biden at the time of holding the US presidency refused to turn in his tax filings over to the Democratic-controlled House. The then-Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin had said that the panel’s request “lacks a legitimate legislative purpose” as the House turned to Justice Department to provide justification in the matter. A legal battle was launched after House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal, D-Mass issued a subpoena to IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig demanding six years of Trump’s tax returns.

With the Biden administration left to decide the next move as the status report due earlier arrived on Wednesday, the US District Judge Trevor McFadden, who was appointed by Trump, gave more time in accordance with the formal request submitted by the administration. Sources close to the development told broadcasters that McFadden stayed the order that required State Treasury Department to issue 72 hours notice to Trump’s attorneys asking to turn in Trump's tax returns to House Democrats. Instead, the federal district court judge from Washington, DC extended the required notice to March 3. "Defendants require additional time to evaluate their position in this case, due to the still-ongoing transition to new leadership at the Department of the Treasury and the Department of Justice," US networks cited the content of the court’s ruling. 

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Biden administration: 'Still need time'

Biden administration, meanwhile, sought a stay on Wednesday as it said in a court filing that it still needed time to posture itself in the case. The trove of Trump’s financial records, for which Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. fought for a year and a half to get access to, will give investigators insight whether Trump had concealed record with lenders or tax department. “Prosecutors look for discrepancies in paperwork. For example, if Trump told the IRS he’s broke and lenders that he’s rich that’s just the type of discrepancy they could build a case around,” Duncan Levin, a former federal prosecutor who worked on a wide range of white collar cases as Vance’s chief of asset forfeiture told AP. 

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Published March 4th, 2021 at 19:34 IST

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