Attorney Generals of the Districts of Maryland and Columbia subpoenaed the Trump Organization on Wednesday including its tax documents, which significantly raises the chances that President Donald Trump’s corporate returns could eventually be made public.
His personal tax returns were not subpoenaed, but tax records related to his businesses may very well paint a picture of Trump’s own finances, CNN writes. After taking office, Trump broke with the traditional presidential practice and did not release his personal tax returns.
“All of the Trump Organization entities have been served,” said the office of District of Columbia Attorney General Karl Racine on Wednesday.
Subpoenas are also served to the state of Maine, the AG’s office said. The subpoena issued to the state of Maine’s Department of Administrative and Financial Services seeks information about any payments from the state made to Trump’s hotel or BLT Prime restaurant following his election in 2016.
The subpoenas ask for “all documents showing any payments by any foreign or domestic government to the Trump International Hotel or BLT Prime” and “all documents concerning marketing or promotion of or by the Trump International Hotel … to any Foreign or Domestic Government.”
They were served following an order by a federal judge that DC and Maryland disclose evidence as part of their lawsuit by the end of this month. The lawsuit claims the President violates the Constitution’s ban on emoluments – payments from foreign or domestic government entities to the President – due to his interest in the Trump International Hotel.
Since 2016, lobbyists for the Saudi Government paid for 500 stays at the hotel. As a result, the plaintiffs say, other hotels in the vicinity were put at a competitive disadvantage while the Trump hotel got special tax concessions.
The Justice Department may challenge the evidence-gathering process, although that remains unclear for now.
DC and Maryland also said that they intend to subpoena 18 entities that compete with the Trump Hotel. However, the attorneys general are not directly targeting President Trump in their discovery process, only the trust that currently holds his business assets.
Be the first to comment