A federal judge in New York City handed House Democrats another win late Wednesday, ruling Deutsche Bank and Capital One can turn over subpoenaed documents related to President Donald Trump, his family and his businesses.
Obama appointee and Puerto Rico native Judge Edgardo Ramos’ ruling came after a hearing in which Trump, his three oldest children and the Trump Organization argued the subpoenas against the two banks should be nullified.
On Monday, a federal judge in Washington, D.C., said Trump’s accountants at the firm Mazars LLP must comply with another congressional subpoena for the president’s financial records. This case now moves on to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, where former Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland sits and could be one of three judges to rule on the appeal.
Garland was nominated to the Supreme Court in 2016 by then-President Barack Obama but was never confirmed after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell refused to even hold a hearing.
Deutsche Bank has been the Trump family’s main lender for a number of years. Most U.S. banks reportedly avoided loaning them money due to a number of bankruptcies. Capital One reportedly possesses financial records related to the Trump Organization’s hotels, and neither bank tried to fight the subpoenas, which were issued by House Financial Services Committee Chair Maxine Waters, D-Calif., and House Intelligence Committee Chair Adam Schiff, D-Calif.
The Trump family’s lawyers filed a lawsuit in April to stop the subpoenas, saying they were issued by House Democrats “to harass President Donald J. Trump, to rummage through every aspect of his personal finances, his businesses, and the private information of the President and his family.”
The Trump family’s attorneys argued unsuccessfully that it would cause the president “irreparable harm” if the records were given to House Democrats.
“There will be no way to unring the bell once the Banks give Congress the requested information,” the attorneys argued in one filing.
The president’s lawyers, who also argued the subpoenas were beyond the bounds of Congress’ authority, have vowed to appeal all rulings not in their favor.
The Democrats of course argued in court filings that Congress is conducting “legitimate” investigations and that the president and his businesses “have continually engaged in stonewalling intended to obstruct and undermine these inquiries.”
Editor’s note: What do you think, is the president right to stonewall such frivolous requests into his personal finances, or are Democrats conducting legitimate oversight? Discuss in the comments below.
