Washington - The US Supreme Court on
Thursday ruled that a New York prosecutor can obtain President
Donald Trump's financial records but prevented - at least for
now - the Democratic-led House of Representatives from obtaining
similar documents.
Both 7-2 rulings were authored by conservative Chief Justice
John Roberts. One ruling means that the subpoena issued to
Trump's long-term accounting firm, Mazars LLP, for various
financial records to be turned over to a grand jury as part of a
criminal investigation can be enforced.
But the court sidestepped a major ruling on whether three
House committees could also obtain Trump financial documents
under subpoena, in what is a short-term win for Trump.
Litigation will now continue in lower courts.
In both rulings, Roberts was joined by the court's four
liberals as well as Trump's two conservative appointees to the
court, Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch.
Unlike other recent presidents, Trump has refused to release
his tax returns and other documents that could provide details
on his wealth and the activities of his family real-estate
company, the Trump Organization. The content of these records
has remained a persistent mystery even as he seeks re-election
on Nov. 3. Thursday's rulings represent another milestone in
Trump's tumultuous presidency.
House committees issued subpoenas seeking Trump's financial
records from his longtime accounting firm Mazars LLP and two
banks, Deutsche Bank and Capital One.
As part of a criminal investigation by the office of
Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance, a Democrat, subpoenas
were issued to Mazars for financial records including nearly a
decade of Trump's tax returns to be turned over to a grand jury
in New York City.
The investigation launched by Vance's office in 2018 into
Trump and the Trump Organization was spurred by disclosures of
hush payments to two women who said they had past sexual
relationships with him, pornographic film actress Stormy Daniels
and former Playboy model Karen McDougal. Trump and his aides
have denied the relationships.
In the litigation over the House subpoenas, Trump argued
that Congress lacked a valid purpose for seeking his records and
that disclosure of the material would compromise his and his
family's privacy and distract him from his duties.
In the New York case, Trump's lawyers argued that under the
Constitution he is immune from any criminal proceeding while
serving as president. They also cited Justice Department
guidance that a sitting president cannot be indicted or
prosecuted.
In a lower court hearing, Trump's lawyers went so far as to
argue that law enforcement officials would not have the power to
investigate Trump even if he shot someone on New York's Fifth
Avenue.
The House Oversight Committee in April 2019 issued a
subpoena to Mazars seeking eight years of accounting and other
financial information in response to the congressional testimony
of Michael Cohen, Trump's former lawyer. Cohen said Trump had
inflated and deflated certain assets on financial statements
between 2011 and 2013 in part to reduce his real estate taxes.
The House Financial Services Committee has been examining
possible money laundering in U.S. property deals involving
Trump. In a separate investigation, the House Intelligence
Committee is investigating whether Trump's dealings left him
vulnerable to the influence of foreign individuals or
governments.