President Donald Trump's lawyers argued Friday at a federal appeals court in New York that two banks should be stopped from turning over his financial records to House committees seeking them. The case is one of several across the country where Trump is fighting against turning over documents sought by Democrats. The documents being sought include accounting records and his state and federal tax returns.
A look at Trump's legal disputes over documents:
BUSINESS RECORDS-NEW YORK
Trump's fight in New York is over records related to his business ventures held by Deutsche Bank and Capital One. The records are being sought by the Democratic-led House Financial Services and Intelligence committees, which subpoenaed the information as part of their investigation into possible "foreign influence in the U.S. political process." Trump's lawyers have argued that Democrats lack a required "legitimate legislative purpose" in subpoenaing the records, but the argument hasn't been a winning one. U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos, an appointee of President Barack Obama, refused in May to block the subpoenas. Trump appealed and the case is now in the hands of three judges of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit, two of them nominated by Republican presidents and one by a Democrat.
BUSINESS RECORDS-WASHINGTON
The New York records dispute is similar to one in Washington that involves accounting firm Mazars USA. The House Committee on Oversight and Reform subpoenaed the records from Mazars, which has provided accounting services to Trump, in April, and Trump sued to stop the records' release. So far, the case has been a loss for Trump. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta, an Obama appointee, ruled in May that lawmakers should get the documents, but Trump appealed. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit heard arguments in the case in mid-July. The judges, two appointed by Democratic presidents and one appointed by Trump, have not yet issued a ruling.
FEDERAL TAX RETURNS-WASHINGTON
Also in Washington, Trump is fighting Congress in court over access to his federal tax returns. The House Ways and Means Committee sued the Trump administration in July over access to the returns. The committee said it needs to see them as part of an investigation into tax law compliance by the president, among other things. The committee has pointed to a law that says the Internal Revenue Service "shall furnish" the returns of any taxpayer to certain top lawmakers. But Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told the committee in May that he wouldn't be turning over the returns, setting up the lawsuit. The judge overseeing the case, Trevor McFadden, is a Trump appointee. The case is in its early stages.
STATE TAX RETURNS-WASHINGTON
Trump is also fighting to keep his New York state tax returns private. Trump filed a lawsuit in Washington in July to block the application of a new New York state law that could allow the House and Ways Means Committee to obtain his state tax returns. The measure, signed into law this summer by Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo, directs state tax officials to share state returns of some elected and appointed officials following a written request from certain Congressional committee chairs. New York's attorney general argues the case belongs in New York, not Washington, and is seeking to have it dismissed or moved. A hearing on that issue is set for mid-September. The judge assigned the case, Carl J. Nichols, is a Trump appointee who was just confirmed in May.
TAX RETURN REQUIREMENT-CALIFORNIA
Trump is also fighting a new California law that requires presidential candidates to release their previous five years of tax returns in order to appear on the state's primary ballot. The measure was signed into law by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom in late July, and the Trump campaign and Republican Party quickly filed lawsuits over it. They argue the law violates the U.S. Constitution by creating an extra requirement to run for president and deprives citizens the right to vote for their chosen candidates. A hearing in Trump's federal case, which is being overseen by George W. Bush appointee Morrison C. England, is set for mid-September. California holds its 2020 presidential primary March 3. Separately, the California Supreme Court has agreed to hear a challenge to the law.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration has told key lawmakers it would send more than $1 billion in additional arms and ammunition to Israel, three congressional aides said Tuesday. But it was not immediately known how soon the weapons would be delivered.
It's the first arms shipment to Israel to be revealed since the administration put another arms transfer, consisting of 3,500 bombs of up to 2,000 pounds each, on hold this month. The Biden administration, citing concern for civilian casualties in Gaza, has said it paused that bomb transfer to keep Israel from using those particular munitions in its offensive in the crowded southern Gaza city of Rafah.
The package disclosed Tuesday includes about $700 million for tank ammunition, $500 million in tactical vehicles and $60 million in mortar rounds, the congressional aides said. They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an arms transfer that has not yet been made public.
There was no immediate indication when the arms would be sent. Two congressional aides said the shipment is not part of the long-delayed foreign aid package that Congress passed and President Joe Biden signed last month. It wasn’t known if the shipment was the latest tranche from an existing arms sale or something new.
The Biden administration has come under criticism from both sides of the political spectrum over its military support for Israel's now seven-month-old war against Hamas in Gaza — at a time when Biden is battling for reelection against former President Donald Trump.
Some of Biden's fellow Democrats have pushed him to limit transfers of offensive weapons to Israel to pressure the U.S. ally to do more to protect Palestinian civilians. Protests on college campuses around the U.S. have driven home the message this spring.
Republican lawmakers have seized on the administration's pause on the bomb transfers, saying any lessening of U.S. support for Israel — its closest ally in the Middle East — weakens that country as it fights Hamas and other Iran-backed groups. In the House, they are planning to advance a bill this week to mandate the delivery of offensive weaponry for Israel.
Despite the onetime suspension of a bomb shipment, Biden and administration officials have made clear they will continue other weapons deliveries and overall military support to Israel, which is the largest recipient of U.S. military aid.
Biden will see to it that “Israel has all of the military means it needs to defend itself against all of its enemies, including Hamas,” national security spokesman John Kirby told reporters Monday. “For him, this is very straightforward: He’s going to continue to provide Israel with all of capabilities it needs, but he does not want certain categories of American weapons used in a particular type of operation in a particular place. And again, he has been clear and consistent with that.”
The Wall Street Journal first reported the plans for the $1 billion weapons package to Israel.
In response to House Republicans' plan to move forward with a bill to mandate the delivery of offensive weapons for Israel, the White House said Tuesday that Biden would veto the bill if it were to pass Congress.
The bill has practically no chance in the Democratic-controlled Senate. But House Democrats are somewhat divided on the issue, and roughly two dozen have signed onto a letter to the Biden administration saying they were “deeply concerned about the message” sent by pausing the bomb shipment.
One of the letter’s signers, New York Rep. Ritchie Torres, said he would likely vote for the bill, despite the White House’s opposition.
“I have a general rule of supporting pro-Israel legislation unless it includes a poison pill — like cuts to domestic policy,” he said.
In addition to the written veto threat, the White House has been in touch with various lawmakers and congressional aides about the legislation, according to an administration official.
“We strongly, strongly oppose attempts to constrain the President’s ability to deploy U.S. security assistance consistent with U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said this week, adding that the administration plans to spend “every last cent” appropriated by Congress in the national security supplemental package that was signed into law by Biden last month.
Associated Press writers Stephen Groves, Lisa Mascaro and Aamer Madhani contributed.
President Joe Biden arrives to speak in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, May 14, 2024, announcing plans to impose major new tariffs on electric vehicles, semiconductors, solar equipment and medical supplies imported from China. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
President Joe Biden speaks at the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies' 30th annual gala, Tuesday, May 14, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
