Internal IRS memo says Trump's tax returns must go to Congress, but Fox is still insisting Congress needs a “legitimate legislative purpose”

Jason Chaffetz: “There is no legitimate legislative purpose and therefore the secretary does not need to provide Donald Trump's personal tax returns”

Written by Media Matters Staff

Published

From the May 22 edition of Fox News' America's Newsroom:

SANDRA SMITH (CO-ANCHOR): The Treasury secretary, Steve Mnuchin, he is testifying under oath right now and was asked about the president's tax returns. This is a live shot on Capitol Hill where he is being questioned about the president's tax returns, Jason. He said under oath that he has never -- and this is just coming into us -- talked to anyone at the White House or to the president about handing over tax returns to Congress. He did address that IRS memo, saying he had a chance to look at it, which was the request to do so, saying he does not believe the memo contradicts his conclusion that Congress needs a, quote, “legitimate legislative purpose” to see those tax returns, saying the memo addresses a different issue. I want to get your thoughts as we learn more out of that hearing room. 

JASON CHAFFETZ (FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR): So it's referred to on Capitol Hill as 6103 material. That is the statute. And the statute was put into place so that the IRS Was not used as a political tool to grab people's tax returns and then embarrass them or do what they want to do politically. That's why the statute's there. So I think the secretary is actually reading the statute right. There is no legitimate legislative purpose and therefore the secretary does not need to provide Donald Trump's personal tax returns, which are not required by law, to be able to give that to the Ways and Means Committee. It is so over the top for the Democrats to even ask for this, and there's a reason why Congresses in past have insisted that it not happen. 

Related:

Washington Post: Confidential draft IRS memo says tax returns must be given to Congress unless president invokes executive privilege

Previously:

Fox's Andrew Napolitano: Why does Congress need Trump's tax returns “other than to torment, embarrass, humiliate him?”

Fox's Andrew Napolitano fearmongers about House Democrats seeking Trump's tax returns: “They did this to Donald Trump, they can do this to any of us”

Fox host claims requiring candidates to release tax returns is an attack on voters' rights