IRS position on personal tax return privacy upheld
Many Americans want to see what’s in President Trump’s personal income tax returns. Recent polls indicate that a solid majority of voters would like a measure of transparency. Sixty-one percent of respondents to
The voice of the people, however, doesn’t hold much sway. The law and the Constitution come down on the side of privacy. This should come as a great relief to everyday consumers and business people in Las Vegas, especially those in the midst of
A U.S. District Court judge reinforced this
Observers agree that neither of those things is likely to happen any time soon. Trump has said as much and the Republican-led majority has rejected efforts by Democrats to gain access.
The judge’s ruling stems from a Freedom of Information Act request by the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC). The group had argued that the IRS has authority to release Trump’s returns if for no other reason than to clear up questions about apparent financial dealings the president has with Russia.
In his decision, the judge said EPIC does not have the right to “peer into another person’s income-tax records.” Notably, though, he also suggested that he believes the public interest would be served by the release of the information and it could happen if done legally.
