WASHINGTON, Oct. 11 -- A U.S. federal appeals court ruled Friday to uphold an earlier subpoena ordering that President Donald Trump's accountants hand his financial records over to Congress for investigation, marking the president's second defeat within a week in his months-long legal efforts to keep his financial documents secret.
Three judges of the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled 2-1 to endorse a subpoena issued April 15 by Democrat-controlled House Committee on Oversight and Reform requesting that Mazars USA, Trump's accounting firm, provide eight years of the president's financial records between 2011 and 2018.
"Contrary to the president's arguments, the Committee possesses authority under both the House rules and the Constitution to issue the subpoena, and Mazars must comply," Judge David Tatel and Judge Patricia Millett wrote in a 66-page opinion Friday.
Tatel and Millett were both appointed by Democratic presidents while Neomi Rao, the judge who dissented the ruling, is a Trump appointee.
Rao, for her part, argued that in order to carry out an investigation into the president, the House will have to invoke constitutional impeachment powers, instead of resorting to regular oversight capacities.
"Throughout our history, Congress, the President, and the courts have insisted upon maintaining the separation between the legislative and impeachment powers of the House and recognized the gravity and accountability that follow impeachment," Rao said in her dissent. "Allowing the Committee to issue this subpoena for legislative purposes would turn Congress into a roving inquisition over a co-equal branch of government."
"Today's ruling is a fundamental and resounding victory for Congressional oversight, our Constitutional system of checks and balances, and the rule of law," Chairman of House Committee on Oversight and Reform Elijah Cummings said in a statement Friday.
"For far too long, the president has placed his personal interests over the interests of the American people," the Maryland Democrat added.
Mazars USA said it would respect the legal process and fully comply with its legal obligations.
On April 22, Trump filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia against Mazars USA and Cummings, claiming that an investigation into his past personal dealings is beyond the job of Congress.
"There is no possible legislation at the end of this tunnel," Trump's attorneys wrote in a brief at the time. "The Oversight Committee is instead assuming the powers of the Department of Justice, investigating (dubious and partisan) allegations of illegal conduct by private individuals."
U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta ruled against Trump on May 20, arguing in a 41-page opinion that it is "simply not fathomable that a Constitution that grants Congress the power to remove a president for reasons including criminal behavior would deny Congress the power to investigate him for unlawful conduct -- past or present -- even without formally opening an impeachment inquiry."
In a separate case, Trump tried in a Sept. 19 lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York to block a subpoena issued in August by Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance -- a Democrat -- requesting the president's eight years of personal and corporate tax returns data, as well as other financial documents.
U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero ruled against Trump on Monday, rebutting the reasoning of Trump's lawyers that sitting presidents are immune to criminal process.
Such immunity, Marrero wrote in a decision, would temporarily "frustrate the administration of justice by insulating from criminal law scrutiny and judicial review."
The U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals in New York issued an emergency stay to the ruling later on the same day, giving the president a reprieve.
My Loneliness 我的孤独
语言学学士教你背单词
国内英语资讯:China rejects U.S. position on Huawei
皮特低调参加前妻生日派对?这是要闹哪样
国内英语资讯:Chinese envoy underscores importance of political settlement to Iraq issue
《冰雪奇缘2》发布首支预告!Elsa又美回来了
国内英语资讯:Air rescue relieves China from forest fires during Spring Festival
国际英语资讯:Chinese peacekeepers teach first-aid skills at schools in southern Lebanon
国内英语资讯:China sees 225 mln air passenger trips with e-boarding passes in 2018
貌美如花的人变老是什么感觉?
国内英语资讯:Chinas C919 jetliner to speed up test flights in 2019
国内英语资讯:State Council releases vocational education reform implementation plan
国际英语资讯:Trumps ex-lawyer Cohen granted two-month delay to report to jail
国际英语资讯:Polish president says U.S. troop increase in Poland can be expected
体坛英语资讯:Biathlon European Championships kicks off in Belarus
国际英语资讯:Interview: Saudi crown princes visit to China expected to bring ties to new high: minister
国内英语资讯:Chinese vice premier lays out goals for Beijing 2022 athletes
体坛英语资讯:Preview: Ronaldo poses main threat to Atleticos European ambitions
体坛英语资讯:Ajax narrow margin with PSV to four points
貌美如花的人变老是什么感觉?
机场中转未登机 汉莎航空起诉乘客并索赔
体坛英语资讯:Chinas Ding beats Brecel to reach snooker Masters semifinals
体坛英语资讯:Maradona sends heartfelt message to former coach Menotti
国际英语资讯:Brazils Bolsonaro released from hospital after 17 days
国际英语资讯:Trump invites Czech PM to Washington
国际英语资讯:Sudanese president declares 2019 as year for peace in Sudan
惊呆了的新研究:有些超级吃货能帮助医生治病
The Thinking mode of Poor People 穷人思维
The Real Happiness 真正的开心
体坛英语资讯:AFC Asian Cup: Group stage ends with Oman, Vietnam advancing last
不限 |
英语教案 |
英语课件 |
英语试题 |
不限 |
不限 |
上册 |
下册 |
不限 |