A federal appeals court ruled Monday that President Donald Trump’s tax returns must be turned over to a state grand jury.
The three-judge appeals panel in New York rejected Trump’s argument that he is immune as president from criminal investigation while in the White House.
Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. is seeking Trump’s corporate and personal tax returns from his accounting firm Mazars as part of a criminal investigation. Trump sued to block the subpoena that Vance’s office sent to Mazars in September.
The panel of judges on the U.S. Second Circuit of Appeals predicted during oral arguments last month that Trump’s lawyers are all but certain to appeal the ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court. Trump could also potentially ask the full line-up of judges in that circuit to re-hear the case.
Trump’s lawyers had argued that the president has absolute immunity during his time in office, not only from prosecution but even from a criminal investigation into his conduct before he was elected. One of the president’s attorneys, William Consovoy, had argued before the judges that Trump could shoot another person on Fifth Avenue in New York City and not be subject to arrest and prosecution until after he left office.
The appeals panel ruled that presidential immunity should be interpreted more narrowly.
NEW: Trump attorney Jay Sekulow says they intend to petition the US Supreme Court to take up the fight over a NY grand jury subpoena for Trump's tax returns.
— Zoe Tillman (@ZoeTillman) November 4, 2019
"The issue raised in this case goes to the heart of our Republic."https://t.co/fxKhnfaEMm