The Supreme Court temporarily halted a lower court order Monday requiring President Trump’s accounting firm to turn over his tax records to House Democrats in their impeachment probe.
Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr. granted the administration’s request to stay the federal appeals court ruling against Mr. Trump until “further order” — for now — as the high court decides whether or not to hear the president’s challenge.
The president’s legal team had petitioned the high court last week asking the justices to put on hold a ruling from the lower courts siding with the Committee on Oversight and Reform, which issued a subpoena in February for eight years of the president’s tax returns in the House Democrats’ impeachment investigation.
They specifically sought financial records from Mazars USA LLP, the accounting firm for the president, dating back to 2011.
Mr. Trump’s lawyers told the justices a stay of the appeals court decision was necessary so that the justices could review a case of first impression, warning against the implications of the lower court’s move if Mr. Trump has to turn over the personal financial records at this time.
“Given the temptation to dig up dirt on political rivals, intrusive subpoenas into personal lives of presidents will become our new normal in times of divided government — no matter which party is in power. If every committee chairman is going to have this unbounded authority, this court should be the one to say so,” Mr. Trump’s lawyers argued in court papers last week.
On Monday, Douglas Letter, general counsel for the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, had sent a letter to the court, agreeing to a brief 10-day stay while the parties filed their court papers debating the need for an injunction while the case is being considered.
• Alex Swoyer can be reached at aswoyer@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.