Judge orders firm to turn over portion of Trump tax records

WASHINGTON DC (Agencies): A federal judge on Wednesday narrowed a House subpoena for former President Trump’s personal financial records, ruling that the congressional inquiry was overly intrusive but may proceed with a more limited scope.
United States District Court Judge Amit Mehta upheld the subpoena to the extent that it sought information about Trump’s lease with the General Services Administration (GSA) for his D.C. hotel property and whether he violated the Constitution’s emoluments clauses,
He ordered Trump’s accounting firm Mazars to hand over two years’ worth of tax and financial records for the former president and his business to Congress.
“Such limited legislative need cannot justify the degree to which the Maloney Subpoena imposes on the separation of powers, even in the case of a former President,” District Court Judge Amit Mehta wrote.
The judge added, “The more Congress can invade the personal sphere of a former President, the greater the leverage Congress would have on a sitting President.”
While Trump has since left office, District Court Judge Amit Mehta said in his 53-page decision that he still has some protections from congressional inquir-ies under the Supreme Court’s Mazars decision.
“Although the Committee’s explanation might validate the Maloney Subpoena were it directed at the personal papers of an ordinary citizen, this case is different,” the judge wrote.
The decision can be appealed by either party.