Dem bill would force Trump to prove he’s under IRS audit

A House Democrat has unveiled legislation aimed at forcing Donald Trump to prove he’s declining to release his tax returns because of an ongoing IRS audit.

Rep. Jared Huffman’s (D-Calif.) bill would require presidential and vice presidential candidates to include a statement from the Treasury secretary confirming whether or not the IRS is auditing their federal income tax returns as part of financial disclosure reports.

Federal privacy rules prevent the IRS from stating publicly whether someone’s tax returns are being audited. However, the IRS has said that Trump, the GOP presidential nominee, can still choose to release his tax returns.

{mosads}“The American people deserve to evaluate their options in a presidential election fully informed about the candidates’ financial ties, yet the current system allows candidates to provide what could be a trumped-up excuse for hiding their tax returns by claiming a pending IRS audit, whether or not that is actually happening,” Huffman said in a statement on Thursday.

The bill’s introduction came after Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., said in a Wednesday interview with the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that releasing the tax returns would be a distraction from the campaign’s message.

When asked why his father hasn’t released his tax returns like other presidential candidates have done for decades, Trump Jr. replied: “Because he’s got a 12,000-page tax return that would create … financial auditors out of every person in the country asking questions that would distract from [Trump’s] main message.”

Democrats on Capitol Hill have been highlighting Trump’s refusal to release his tax returns in contrast to their nominee, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who has released hers. 

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) tried to pass his bill requiring presidential candidates to release their tax returns by unanimous consent on the Senate floor Thursday afternoon. 

But his effort was blocked by Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), who asked if Democrats would agree to a Republican bill stripping Clinton of her security clearance. Wyden rejected the offer.