They do not want to know

[gotsnowgotslush]

Democrats made another push to smoke out President Donald Trump’s tax returns Monday, using an obscure parliamentary move to try to force reluctant GOP lawmakers to take a stance on the issue.

Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.) filed a privileged resolution Monday night calling on Trump to release his tax returns, saying the detailed documents could aid ongoing investigations into potential links between the president, his associates and Russia.

GOP leaders are expected to move to table the resolution, effectively killing the proposal, but not before Republicans have to take a potentially embarrassing vote on an issue they’ve long tried to ignore.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/donald-trump-administration

A House Democratic lawmaker attempted Monday to force a House floor vote on a resolution to request President Trump’s tax returns, but the effort failed on a party line vote, 229-185, with two Republicans voting "present."



https://origin-nyi.thehill.com/poli...m-fails-to-force-release-of-trump-tax-returns


The new chairman of the DNC and the House Democratic leader both said on ABC on Sunday that Sessions couldn't possibly be impartial should the DOJ lead an investigation.

"What we need to be looking at is whether this election was rigged by Donald Trump and his buddy Vladimir Putin," said DNC chairman Tom Perez. "Having Jeff Sessions oversee such an investigation, it's really unfair to any foxes across America to say that would be the fox guarding the henhouse. We need an independent investigation, because that is a serious, serious issue...And when Sessions and Flynn are out there together campaigning, they clearly lack the authority and the objectivity to conduct that investigation."

Minority leader Nancy Pelosi flatly rejected Sessions' potential involvement. "The attorney general must recuse himself," she said. "But let's just take it back a step, you have seen a flurry of activities that are completely inappropriate, encouraging lawmakers, encouraging intelligence officials to say that something is one way or another. Let's have the investigation and find out the truth."


http://crooksandliars.com/2017/02/only-two-groups-do-not-want-independent

 

[sr71plt]

It certainly is a mystery why the Republicans in Congress are bending over for Trump like this. They surely would much prefer Pence in the White House and they'd have zero trouble painting Trump as not a Republican in the first place.

 

[Lunation]

It certainly is a mystery why the Republicans in Congress are bending over for Trump like this. They surely would much prefer Pence in the White House and they'd have zero trouble painting Trump as not a Republican in the first place.

They fear their constituents.

 

[sr71plt]

They fear their constituents.

Not because of Trump, I'm sure. Trump's popularity, never high, is continually dropping. He didn't win the popular vote. From the looks of the town hall meetings the Republican congressmen are going to (when they don't do everything they can to avoid them), if push comes to shove, there are more constituents willing to dump Trump (again, to the Republicans, they have a perfectly acceptable Republican next in line--and to Democrats, they'd take almost any one over Trump. A congressman's constituents includes everyone, not just the people who voted for either Trump or the congressman.) than to keep him. And there are sooooo many grounds on which to dump him.

 

[Lunation]

Not because of Trump, I'm sure. Trump's popularity, never high, is continually dropping. He didn't win the popular vote. From the looks of the town hall meetings the Republican congressmen are going to (when they don't do everything they can to avoid them), if push comes to shove, there are more constituents willing to dump Trump (again, to the Republicans, they have a perfectly acceptable Republican next in line--and to Democrats, they'd take almost any one over Trump. A congressman's constituents includes everyone, not just the people who voted for either Trump or the congressman.) than to keep him. And there are sooooo many grounds on which to dump him.

I agree politicians SHOULD consider people who didn't vote for them equally among their constituents. But we all know they don't.

Republicans are in a tough spot.

The Democrats won't vote for them regardless, so no sense in appealing to them. So they have to play to the base. And while the base may be split on Trump, if they take a hard line by removing him, they alienate a large enough portion of their base they can't win. Their only safe bet is to remain neutral: which is precisely why Democrats are trying to force them to sign their names one way or another.

Or, I mean, they could just do what's best for the country instead of their careers. *queue forced laughter that dissolves into sobbing*

 

[Boxlicker101]

Has there ever been a law that required presidents of others to make public their tax returns? I know most of them find it wise to do so, but I don't believe it is a requirement.

 

[Lunation]

Has there ever been a law that required presidents of others to make public their tax returns? I know most of them find it wise to do so, but I don't believe it is a requirement.

Congress writes laws. They can make it a requirement.

 

[sr71plt]

Congress doesn't have to put through a law. Congressional committees can subpoena tax returns as part of an investigation, and in Trump's case several committees should do so to ensure that he doesn't have a whole realm of conflicts of interests (which, of course, he does have).

http://www.rollcall.com/news/politi...e-committee-subpoena-trump-tax-returns-needed

 

[ishtat]

Has there ever been a law that required presidents of others to make public their tax returns? I know most of them find it wise to do so, but I don't believe it is a requirement.

In political terms Box, it is of no consequence that there is, or is not a law. Every time Trump declines to release, it looks bad. The Dems will broaden the attack.What about the family interests, the sons, the daughter, trusts, that sort of thing.

The Dems will never get an answer to what will be numerous requests. It will make a President already over sensitive to personal attacks look devious -as though he has something to hide. And over time voters will believe he is hiding something - whether true or not doesn't matter, throw enough mud, it eventually sticks.

This story will run and run, get used to it.

 

[Carnal_Flower]

They'll let him get away with anything as long as they get their agenda. They've proven again and again they're nothing but gutless craven amoral hucksters. I hope they continue. Bannon thinks he's going to destroy the entire "state" but no, just the Rethuglicans. He's succeeding admirably.

 

[Wrong Element]

They fear their constituents.

Trump's fans are not necessarily totally on board with him never releasing his tax returns (though a lot of them are just fine with it, as they would be fine with literally anything he could ever do)). This uneasiness didn't really cause a problem during the campaign because they could and did tell themselves, "Hillary is even worse!" (even though she did release her tax returns, but never mind).

Seems like this would be a painless way for the Congress to display a little independence from Trump, because it's not like Trump has any real justification for keeping his returns secret other than "I don't wanna."