The Supreme Court temporarily blocked House Democrats’ efforts to swiftly obtain President Trump’s financial records as part of their impeachment probe.
Politico reports that at least five justices agreed to put a pause on a lower court’s ruling in favor of Democrats’ subpoena of President Trump’s financial records from accounting firm, Mazars USA.
Democrats on the House Oversight Committee are seeking records from 2011 to the present.
“The ruling will prevent Democrats from swiftly obtaining Trump’s tax information as they start to prepare articles of impeachment against Trump. Lawmakers are expected to decide in the coming weeks whether to broaden out their case beyond the swirling Ukraine scandal to include allegations that Trump abused his position for personal financial gain,” writes Politico.
President Trump’s attorneys have until Dec. 5 to formally petition the Supreme Court for a hearing on this case. If the court agrees to hear the case, it could have a lasting impact on the balance of powers between Congress and the Executive branch.
If the court decides not to take on the case, the stay on the lower court’s order would end, enabling Democrats to obtain the financial records.
According to the Washington Post, Trump’s personal Attorney William Consovoy told the Supreme Court that the president is “prepared to proceed on any schedule that the court deems appropriate.”
Consovoy said the Democrat’s subpoena “is a significant separation-of-powers clash between the president and Congress.”
