The Republican Party is seeking to redirect criticism of Trump’s tax returns

Republican lawmakers are trying to deflect the backlash from the New York Times report that showed it President TrumpDonald John Trump’s Census Bureau intends to end counting on Oct.5, despite a judge’s order, calls on the Republican Supreme House Speaker to investigate the source of New York Trump tax documents that New Yorkers reported received ballot papers with the wrong name, voter addresses He has largely avoided paying income taxes for years and earned more foreign income than previously known.

While Democrats quickly seized on the revelations and questioned whether Trump’s foreign entanglements pose a national security threat, Republicans have tried to turn the narrative around and follow the White House’s approach to denying the report’s significance.

Replay / count. Kevin BradyKevin Patrick Brady, Republican Representative in the House of Representatives calls for an investigation into the source of the New York Times tax documents A poll found support for independent rulers to solve “ surprise ” medical bills Corporations and states pass Trump payroll tax deferment More Texas, the top Republican on the House Ways and Means Committee, has called for an investigation into the sources that leaked Trump’s tax records to the New York Times, arguing that “while many critics question the article’s accuracy, just as worrisome is the possibility that A criminal offense was committed through the disclosure of an individual’s tax return information – in this case, the president’s information. “

Likewise, another Republican lawmaker argued that there should be more anger over how the documents were obtained, along with skepticism about the reports because Trump did not release the information publicly.

Whether or not we agree that the president should or should not release his tax returns is a political question. What is not in question is that our tax returns are supposed to be inaccessible to the public and the media. “The alleged release of several years or their availability in some way is a flagrant violation of the law,” the lawmaker told The Hill.

The New York Times said all information used in the article was obtained from sources with legal access to it. But executive editor Dean Paquet said the newspaper would not release public records to avoid putting sources who carry “enormous personal risks to help inform the public” at risk.

The Tax Authority said in a statement on Tuesday that it had “extensive procedures in place” to trace unauthorized access to and disclosure of taxpayer information and had not found any problems in its operations.

“In response to recent press reports, the IRS has taken steps to reassert the integrity of its processes and procedures to protect return information for all taxpayers, including enhanced safeguards, and have found no problems. However, with great caution, the Commissioner asked the Treasury Inspector General to the Tax Administration. Take all appropriate steps to confirm the results of the IRS.

Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee Chuck GrassleyCharles (Chuck) Ernest Grassley, governing MPs distance themselves from Trump’s comments on the transfer of power, The Hill’s Report 12:30: Ginsburg rests in comfort Republican senators say Hunter Biden’s work casts a shadow over Obama’s policy toward Ukraine More Meanwhile, (an Iowa Republican) blamed the IRS for taking too long to complete Trump’s tax return checks.

“The idea that comes to my mind is how the IRS is taking so long to complete audits. Asked if he had read the New York Times report released the day before, I worry that the IRS is not getting their work done,” Grassley told reporters on Monday.

“I want to wait until the IRS finishes so I know how much I owe him,” Grassley added.

The IRS is auditing a $ 72.9 million tax refund that Trump claimed and obtained in 2010. If the IRS rules against Trump in its review, the president will have to pay that amount plus interest.

The IRS is required to report to Congress, through the Joint Tax Committee, on individual recoveries exceeding $ 2 million. But the agency is under no obligation to comply with any requests from the commission to adjust individual recoveries.

A spokesperson for the Joint Tax Committee told The Hill that employees do not comment on their review of cases or potential refunds.

Republicans’ attempts to redirect criticism of Trump’s questionable business practices have come as the president prepares to take on the Democratic nominee. Joe BidenJoe Biden, a Republican in the upper house calls for an investigation into the source of the New York Times tax documents Trump, the judge’s ruling creates a new obstacle to Trump’s ban on TikTok, Harris says she has not “ somehow laid out a plan ” about interviewing the Supreme Court nominee More In the first high-stakes presidential debate.

Hours before the Tuesday night standoff, Biden and his deputy, the Senator. Kamala HarrisKamala Harris says she hasn’t “somehow laid out a plan” to interview a Supreme Court candidate’s settlement, yes – but how? Pre-debate suggest Biden should make his energy stance clearer to swing voters (D-California), made sure to release their tax returns for 2019.

Biden and his wife, Jill Biden, reported an average gross income of $ 985,233 and paid a total of $ 299,346 in taxes, for an effective tax rate of about 30 percent.

The New York Times report found that Trump paid only $ 750 in federal income tax in both 2016 and 2017 and did not pay any taxes in 10 of the previous 15 years, largely because he reported losing more money than he earned.

The Trump Organization attorney told the New York Times that the president has paid “tens of millions of dollars in personal taxes to the federal government, including millions of dollars in personal taxes since his candidacy was announced in 2015.” But “personal taxes” appear to refer to other taxes such as Social Security, Medicare, and domestic employee taxes.

Records obtained by The New York Times found that Trump’s business has reported a loss of millions of dollars for several years, while his revenues from “The Apprentice” and related licensing deals are running out.

Meanwhile, foreign revenue from golf property and licensing deals in other countries totaled $ 73 million in the first two years of Trump’s presidency. Trump and his companies paid more than $ 300,000 in taxes in Panama, India, and the Philippines in 2017, although he paid much less in the United States.

Democrats filed a lawsuit last year to obtain Trump tax returns, which are still pending in litigation.

Beyond criticizing Trump for “not paying his fair share” in taxes, the Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy PelosiNancy Pelosi: The airline industry is praising Democrats for including aid in a coronavirus relief package Democrats are unveiling a coronavirus 2T relief package. (D-California) indicated that foreign income on Trump’s debt could pose a national security risk.

“It is extremely unfair, not to pay his fair share. But what matters to the Commander in Chief is that he does not endanger our national security or in any way influence any decision he makes because he expects to have some money to pay off his debts,” Pelosi said Tuesday on MSNBC .

“If we knew that someone had this exposure, it would be – they wouldn’t be able to get a federal job. And if they were on the other side, this would be an opportunity for us to take advantage of their indebtedness and try to recruit them to our side,” Pelosi added.

Republicans played down this idea and emphasized that the report did not disclose any previously unreported contacts with Russia, which interfered in the 2016 election to bolster Trump and is doing so again this year.

The media promised that President Trump’s tax returns would reveal deep ties with Russia. did not happen! Do you know whose funding will reveal deep ties with Russia? Hunter Biden, “Rep. Jim JordanJames (Jim) Daniel Jordan The House Committee pushes Powell into partisan battles due to the epidemic on Sunday shows a preview: Judge Ginsburg dies, sparking a partisan battle for a vacant position before the House elections issue a resolution condemning discrimination against Asia in relation to the Coronavirus More (R-Ohio) Tweet Tuesday.

A Senate Republican report released last week accused an investment company linked to Hunter Biden, the son of the former vice president, of receiving $ 3.5 million from the wife of a former Moscow mayor. His lawyer denied having a financial relationship.

The Republican report acknowledged that it was “not clear” how much Hunter Biden’s work at the Ukrainian gas company Burisma influenced US policy while his father was Vice President, but said he created an “embarrassment” for the State Department at the time.

Minority whip in the house Steve ScalesStephen (Steve) Joseph Scales: Ginsburg has become the first woman to lie in the state at the Capitol House slated to unveil the agenda ahead of the House elections Details of “serious” concerns about the Florida, Georgia, Texas and Wisconsin elections More Likewise, the (Los Angeles Republic) accused Democrats of trying to divert attention from Tuesday’s debate.

“What they’re trying to do is get rid of the smoke and more smoke in the hope that someone will see a fire because they don’t want people to look at Joe Biden’s relationships with Russia, for example,” Scales said during an appearance on Fox News. radio.

“Why did the Obama administration and Biden not help our friends, the Ukrainians, when they wanted to get penetrating tank missiles when Russia was coming to Eastern Europe? Why? Because the mayor of Moscow gave the money to Biden.”