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New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Monday signed a bill that would allow certain members of Congress to have access to President Donald Trump's New York state tax returns.

The bill, which Cuomo had been expected to sign, requires state officials to release tax returns that have been requested by "congressional tax-related committees" that have cited “specified and legitimate legislative purpose" in seeking them.

"By amending the law enforcement exception in New York State tax code to include Congressional tax-related committees, this bill gives Congress the ability to fulfill its Constitutional responsibilities, strengthen our democratic system and ensure that no one is above the law," Cuomo said in a statement.

The bill is seen as a clear shot at the president, who has refused to release his tax returns. </s> Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Monday signed a bill that would allow certain members of Congress to access to President Donald Trump's New York state tax returns.

The bill, which Cuomo had been expected to OK, requires New York officials to release tax returns of public officials that have been requested by "congressional tax-related committees" that have cited "specified and legitimate legislative purpose" in seeking them.

"(T)his bill gives Congress the ability to fulfill its Constitutional responsibilities, strengthen our democratic system and ensure that no one is above the law," Cuomo, a Democrat, said in a statement.

"Tax secrecy is paramount - the exception being for bonafide investigative and law enforcement purposes," Cuomo said.

The tax bill, which was passed weeks ago by the Democratically controlled state Legislature, makes it easier for New York to turn over the state tax returns of certain public office-holders, along with entities those people control or have a large stake in, that are requested by the leaders of the three congressional tax-writing committees.

The laws in place prior to Cuomo's signing of the bill generally prohibit such a release, and those congressional panels — the House Ways and Means Committee, the Senate Finance Committee and the Joint Committee on Taxation — could file a request with the state only after efforts to gain access to federal tax filings through the Treasury Department fail.

The bill is seen as a clear shot at the president, who has refused to release his tax returns. But it's been met with resistance from the one Democrat who could actually utilize it.

House Ways and Means chairman Richard Neal, D-Mass., said he won't request the state returns because he feels doing so would harm his efforts at obtaining Trump's federal returns. Last week, Neal sued the IRS and the Treasury Department for those federal returns.

Meanwhile, Cuomo could act soon on another bill that is aimed at Trump

That legislation would allow state prosecutors to pursue charges against certain people even if they had received a presidential pardon. Trump has spoken about the possibility of pardoning those accused or convicted of crimes stemming from former special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation. </s> New York State has amended its tax code to make President Donald Trump's state tax returns available to US Congress under legislation signed into law by Governor Andrew Cuomo on Monday

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th July, 2019) New York State has amended its tax code to make President Donald Trump 's state tax returns available to US Congress under legislation signed into law by Governor Andrew Cuomo on Monday.

"By amending the law enforcement exception in New York State tax code to include congressional tax-related committees, this bill gives Congress the ability to fulfill its constitutional responsibilities, strengthen our democratic system and ensure that no one is above the law," Cuomo said in a press release.

The legislation directs the New York State tax authorities to provide Trump's tax returns in response to written requests from chairmen of the US Senate Finance Committee or the US House of Representatives Ways and Means committees.

Both panels are responsible for writing and overseeing the nation's tax law.

Trump is the first US president who has not voluntarily released his Federal and state tax returns since the Nixon presidency in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

The legislation applies to New York State returns, but not federal tax returns, which have been subpoenaed by the US House of Representatives Ways and Means committee.

The White House has refused to comply with the subpoena, claiming that the effort to examine Trump tax payments lacks a legitimate legislative purpose. </s> Legislation that would give the United States Congress access to President Donald Trump's New York state tax returns was signed into law by Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Monday, July 8.

"This bill gives Congress the ability to fulfill its Constitutional responsibilities, strengthen our democratic system and ensure that no one is above the law," Cuomo said. "Tax secrecy is paramount — the exception being for bona fide investigative and law enforcement purposes."

The bill requires New York officials to release tax returns of public officials that have been requested by congressional tax-related committees that have cited specified and legitimate legislative purpose in seeking them.

If utilized, the new law is expected to face legal challenges. Jay Sekulow, one of Trump's attorneys, told several media outlets that the Trump Administration would push back, calling it "more presidential harassment."

The tax bill, sponsored by Assemblyman David Buchwald of Westchester, makes it easier for New York to turn over the state tax returns of certain public office-holders, along with entities those people control or have a large stake in, if requested by the leaders of the three congressional tax-writing committees.

"It's a great day for transparency in government, and I thank my colleagues in the State Assembly and Senate and the governor for backing this law that supports our fellow lawmakers in Washington in their important oversight role," said Buchwald, whose 93rd district represents Bedford, Harrison, Lewisboro, Mount Kisco, New Castle, North Castle, North Salem, Pound Ridge and White Plains.

The House Ways and Means Committee, the Senate Finance Committee or the Joint Committee on Taxation could file a request with New York state if efforts to gain access to federal tax filings through the Treasury Department fail.

Click here to sign up for Daily Voice's free daily emails and news alerts. </s> New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, signed a bill Monday to allow Congress to access President Donald Trump’s state tax returns.

The bill requires the state to release the president’s state tax returns—along with the returns for certain other federal officeholders—for any legitimate purpose upon request from the House Ways and Means Committee, the Senate Finance Committee, or the Joint Committee on Taxation.

As Mother Jones reporter Russ Choma wrote when the New York state legislature approved the bill in May:

Just days after Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin refused—in apparent violation of federal law—to give Trump’s tax filings to a congressional committee, lawmakers in Trump’s home state stepped in with a possible solution. On Wednesday, the New York state Senate passed a bill that would allow state officials to provide Congress with the state tax returns of seven different types of state and federal elected officials—including the president. Federal tax law already allows congressional tax committees to obtain a copy of any American’s tax returns—and such a request has been made by the Democratically controlled House Ways and Means Committee. But on Monday, Mnuchin said he would not permit the Internal Revenue Service to comply. The committee requested the documents as part of what members said was an investigation into how the IRS audits presidents, but the administration has argued that the move was an unfair, politically motivated attempt to embarrass the president.

The bill is effective immediately, according to the New York Times, but it is unclear whether Congress will take advantage of the new law. </s> New York lawmakers gave final passage to legislation Wednesday that would allow President Donald Trump's state tax returns to be released to congressional committees that have, so far, been barred from getting the president's federal filings.

The Democrat-led Senate and Assembly both approved the measures Wednesday, sending them to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat. A spokesman has said the governor supports the principle behind the legislation but will review the bill carefully before deciding whether to sign it.

The legislation doesn't target Trump by name, but it would allow the leaders of the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee, the Senate Finance Committee or the Joint Committee on Taxation to get access to any New York state tax returns filed by elected officials and top appointed officials. The legislation would apply to personal income tax returns, as well as business taxes paid in New York.

An earlier version of the proposal that passed the state Senate two weeks ago would have allowed congressional committees to get any New Yorker's returns, regardless of whether they held public office. Lawmakers later narrowed the legislation to address concerns that it went too far, prompting the Senate to hold a second vote on the new language Wednesday.

New York Republicans have railed against the bill. John Flanagan, who leads the Senate GOP, called the legislation "troubling" and "bad public policy."

Fellow GOP lawmakers said the new proposal's narrower focus shows Democrats went too far with their first proposal, which would have required state tax officials to hand over any New Yorker's state tax returns.

"This bill is nothing more than political showmanship, and we all know it," said Assembly Andrew Goodell, who represents a mostly rural western New York district.

Republicans also blasted Democrats for going after the president instead of focusing on challenges closer to home.

"The fact that we're talking about taxes in this house is ironic because we're not talking about the taxes that New Yorkers pay, which are the highest in the nation," said Rob Ortt, a senator from the Buffalo area.

But the proposals' Democratic sponsors — Sen. Hoylman, of Manhattan, and Assemblyman David Buchwald, of Westchester County — said the legislation promotes government transparency at a time when Americans need to know whether their elected leaders are putting the public's interest first.

"We are affirming Congress' role as a co-equal branch of government and the sacred constitutional principle that nobody is above the law, not even the highest elected official in the land," Hoylman said.

The proposed changes to state law were made amid a battle going on in Washington over Trump's federal returns.

Democrats are seeking six years of Trump's personal and business tax returns to aid a committee investigation into whether the IRS is doing its job properly to audit a sitting president and whether the law governing such audits needs to be strengthened.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has said he wouldn't comply with a congressional subpoena seeking six years of Trump's tax returns, in part because the request "lacks a legitimate legislative purpose." U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, D-Mass., chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, has threatened to go to court to get the administration to comply.

New York is Trump's home state and headquarters of many of his business enterprises. Much of the information on his state returns would mirror the information included on a federal return, giving the Democrats a potential end run around the IRS if they wished to take it.

If Congress does request and obtain Trump's state tax returns, that doesn't mean the public gets to see them. Under federal law, the confidential information in the returns is supposed to be for the committee's eyes only.

The New York bills have no time limitation on the tax filings that could be shared with Congress. They require that the returns be requested "for a specified and legitimate legislative purpose," wording that could ostensibly give state officials the ability to refuse some requests they felt were primarily political in nature.

The New York bills would become law immediately upon being signed by Cuomo, though it could be delayed by a court challenge.

Passage of the legislation came just a few hours before a federal judge in Manhattan refused to block congressional subpoenas seeking financial records from two banks that did business with Trump.

The judge said subpoenas from lawyers for the House Financial Services and Intelligence committees have "a legitimate legislative purpose" in their investigation into Trump, his family and his company's dealings with Deutsche Bank and Capital One. </s> ALBANY, N.Y. >> New York lawmakers gave final passage to legislation today that would allow President Donald Trump’s state tax returns to be released to congressional committees that have, so far, been barred from getting the president’s federal filings.

The Democrat-led Senate and Assembly both approved the measures today, sending them to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat. A spokesman has said the governor supports the principle behind the legislation but will review the bill carefully before deciding whether to sign it.

The legislation doesn’t target Trump by name, but it would allow the leaders of the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee, the Senate Finance Committee or the Joint Committee on Taxation to get access to any New York state tax returns filed by elected officials and top appointed officials. The legislation would apply to personal income tax returns, as well as business taxes paid in New York.

An earlier version of the proposal that passed the state Senate two weeks ago would have allowed congressional committees to get any New Yorker’s returns, regardless of whether they held public office. Lawmakers later narrowed the legislation to address concerns that it went too far, prompting the Senate to hold a second vote on the new language today.

New York Republicans have railed against the bill. John Flanagan, who leads the Senate GOP, called the legislation “troubling” and “bad public policy.”

Fellow GOP lawmakers said the new proposal’s narrower focus shows Democrats went too far with their first proposal, which would have required state tax officials to hand over any New Yorker’s state tax returns.

“This bill is nothing more than political showmanship, and we all know it,” said Assembly Andrew Goodell, who represents a mostly rural western New York district.

Republicans also blasted Democrats for going after the president instead of focusing on challenges closer to home.

“The fact that we’re talking about taxes in this house is ironic because we’re not talking about the taxes that New Yorkers pay, which are the highest in the nation,” said Rob Ortt, a senator from the Buffalo area.

But the proposals’ Democratic sponsors — Sen. Hoylman, of Manhattan, and Assemblyman David Buchwald, of Westchester County — said the legislation promotes government transparency at a time when Americans need to know whether their elected leaders are putting the public’s interest first.

“We are affirming Congress’ role as a co-equal branch of government and the sacred constitutional principle that nobody is above the law, not even the highest elected official in the land,” Hoylman said.

The proposed changes to state law were made amid a battle going on in Washington over Trump’s federal returns.

Democrats are seeking six years of Trump’s personal and business tax returns to aid a committee investigation into whether the IRS is doing its job properly to audit a sitting president and whether the law governing such audits needs to be strengthened.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has said he wouldn’t comply with a congressional subpoena seeking six years of Trump’s tax returns, in part because the request “lacks a legitimate legislative purpose.” U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, D-Mass., chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, has threatened to go to court to get the administration to comply.

New York is Trump’s home state and headquarters of many of his business enterprises. Much of the information on his state returns would mirror the information included on a federal return, giving the Democrats a potential end run around the IRS if they wished to take it.

If Congress does request and obtain Trump’s state tax returns, that doesn’t mean the public gets to see them. Under federal law, the confidential information in the returns is supposed to be for the committee’s eyes only.

The New York bills have no time limitation on the tax filings that could be shared with Congress. They require that the returns be requested “for a specified and legitimate legislative purpose,” wording that could ostensibly give state officials the ability to refuse some requests they felt were primarily political in nature.

The New York bills would become law immediately upon being signed by Cuomo, though it could be delayed by a court challenge.

Passage of the legislation came just a few hours before a federal judge in Manhattan refused to block congressional subpoenas seeking financial records from two banks that did business with Trump.

The judge said subpoenas from lawyers for the House Financial Services and Intelligence committees have “a legitimate legislative purpose” in their investigation into Trump, his family and his company’s dealings with Deutsche Bank and Capital One. </s> New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) signed a bill on Monday that would allow New York’s tax authority to hand over state tax returns to the U.S. Congress.

The bill would allow the state’s Department of Taxation and Finance commissioner to release state tax returns to Congress’ Ways & Means Committee, the Senate Finance Committee, or the Joint Committee on Taxation.

“Tax secrecy is paramount — the exception being for bonafide investigative and law enforcement purposes,” Cuomo said in a statement. “By amending the law enforcement exception in New York State tax code to include Congressional tax-related committees, this bill gives Congress the ability to fulfill its Constitutional responsibilities, strengthen our democratic system and ensure that no one is above the law.”

After Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin refused to comply with the House Ways and Means Committee’s request for President Donald Trump’s tax returns, New York’s state legislature passed the bill in an effort to mitigate Mnuchin’s stonewalling.

The House Ways and Means Committee sued Mnuchin and Internal Revenue Service chief Chuck Rettig last week for the President’s tax returns.

However, committee chair Rep. Richard Neal (D-MA) is reportedly reluctant to ask the state for Trump’s tax returns because he fears jeopardizing a potential court case in the battle for Trump’s federal tax returns. </s> ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York lawmakers gave final passage to legislation Wednesday that would allow President Donald Trump’s state tax returns to be released to congressional committees that have, so far, been barred from getting the president’s federal filings.

The Democrat-led Senate and Assembly both approved the measures Wednesday, sending them to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat. A spokesman has said the governor supports the principle behind the legislation but will review the bill carefully before deciding whether to sign it.

The legislation doesn’t target Trump by name, but it would allow the leaders of the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee, the Senate Finance Committee or the Joint Committee on Taxation to get access to any New York state tax returns filed by elected officials and top appointed officials. The legislation would apply to personal income tax returns, as well as business taxes paid in New York.

An earlier version of the proposal that passed the state Senate two weeks ago would have allowed congressional committees to get any New Yorker’s returns, regardless of whether they held public office. Lawmakers later narrowed the legislation to address concerns that it went too far, prompting the Senate to hold a second vote on the new language Wednesday.

New York Republicans have railed against the bill. John Flanagan, who leads the Senate GOP, called the legislation “troubling” and “bad public policy.”

Fellow GOP lawmakers said the new proposal’s narrower focus shows Democrats went too far with their first proposal, which would have required state tax officials to hand over any New Yorker’s state tax returns.

“This bill is nothing more than political showmanship, and we all know it,” said Assembly Andrew Goodell, who represents a mostly rural western New York district.

Republicans also blasted Democrats for going after the president instead of focusing on challenges closer to home.

“The fact that we’re talking about taxes in this house is ironic because we’re not talking about the taxes that New Yorkers pay, which are the highest in the nation,” said Rob Ortt, a senator from the Buffalo area.

But the proposals’ Democratic sponsors — Sen. Hoylman, of Manhattan, and Assemblyman David Buchwald, of Westchester County — said the legislation promotes government transparency at a time when Americans need to know whether their elected leaders are putting the public’s interest first.

“We are affirming Congress’ role as a co-equal branch of government and the sacred constitutional principle that nobody is above the law, not even the highest elected official in the land,” Hoylman said.

The proposed changes to state law were made amid a battle going on in Washington over Trump’s federal returns.

Democrats are seeking six years of Trump’s personal and business tax returns to aid a committee investigation into whether the IRS is doing its job properly to audit a sitting president and whether the law governing such audits needs to be strengthened.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has said he wouldn’t comply with a congressional subpoena seeking six years of Trump’s tax returns, in part because the request “lacks a legitimate legislative purpose.” U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, D-Mass., chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, has threatened to go to court to get the administration to comply.

New York is Trump’s home state and headquarters of many of his business enterprises. Much of the information on his state returns would mirror the information included on a federal return, giving the Democrats a potential end run around the IRS if they wished to take it.

If Congress does request and obtain Trump’s state tax returns, that doesn’t mean the public gets to see them. Under federal law, the confidential information in the returns is supposed to be for the committee’s eyes only.

The New York bills have no time limitation on the tax filings that could be shared with Congress. They require that the returns be requested “for a specified and legitimate legislative purpose,” wording that could ostensibly give state officials the ability to refuse some requests they felt were primarily political in nature.

The New York bills would become law immediately upon being signed by Cuomo, though it could be delayed by a court challenge.

Passage of the legislation came just a few hours before a federal judge in Manhattan refused to block congressional subpoenas seeking financial records from two banks that did business with Trump.

The judge said subpoenas from lawyers for the House Financial Services and Intelligence committees have “a legitimate legislative purpose” in their investigation into Trump, his family and his company’s dealings with Deutsche Bank and Capital One.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signs a bill that will allow congressional committees to access President Donald Trump's state tax returns.