NY state lawmakers to introduce bill to get Trump’s state tax returns

Democratic lawmakers in New York’s state legislature are set to introduce a bill allowing for the release of President Trump’s state tax returns, according to The New York Times.

The bill, slated to be introduced this week, would allow the commissioner of the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance to release any state return requested by three U.S. congressional committee’s leaders for a “specific and legitimate legislative purpose,” according to the Times.

{mosads}State Sen. Brad Hoylman (D), who is sponsoring the bill, called it “a safety valve for any attempt by the White House to block the Congress from doing this at the federal level,” telling the Times “we’re creating a parallel track.”

New York laws currently prohibit the release of most private tax information. Under the bill, these laws would be amended, covering filings such as personal income taxes, real estate transfer taxes and corporation taxes, according to the Times.

Albany lawmakers have introduced similar measures before, but legislators have raised concerns about the release of personal tax information.

To assuage those concerns, Hoylman narrowed the bill’s focus to add the committee request requirement, according to the Times. The request would only be allowed after the failure of other attempts to obtain federal tax returns through the Treasury Department.

Democrats increased their hold on New York’s legislature after the 2018 midterms, which saw Republicans swept out of the state Senate.

The proposal comes amid an ongoing battle between the White House and congressional Democrats over Trump’s federal tax returns. Last week, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal (D-Mass.) formally requested the returns from the IRS.

In response, Trump’s attorneys wrote to ask the IRS not to respond before a Justice Department review.

On Sunday, acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney said House Democrats would “never” see Trump’s tax returns.

Trump has repeatedly claimed an ongoing audit prevents him from releasing his tax returns. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the New York bill.