“Russia Law Firm of the Year” Seal of Approval Not Enough

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Congressman Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas), the Ranking Democrat on the House Ways and Means Tax Policy Subcommittee, for the third time introduced an amendment to authorize the Ways and Means Committee to obtain President Trump's tax returns. In Committee, Rep. Doggett noted that the Morgan Lewis law firm upon which President Trump relied to review his tax returns for financial ties to Russia, is a firm that has boasted of the "prestigious honor" of being named "Russia Law Firm of the Year" for 2016. More recently, this same law firm told the Office of Government Ethics (OGE) that President Trump did not need to sign his 2016 personal financial disclosure form, a claim disputed by the OGE director. In a statement, Rep. Doggett said:

"A clean bill of health from the ‘Russia Law Firm of the Year' doesn't cut it. We can do better. These are very troubling times in American history. Our national security has been jeopardized, our democracy is threatened, while so many have remained silent. Some see Trump as the only ticket to more tax breaks for the wealthiest few, and they are willing to pay almost any price to get them. A bipartisan review of Trump's tax returns, not a self-serving review by lawyers on Trump's payroll, is needed. Such an evaluation could also determine whether Trump, who has bragged about bending the tax code to his whim, is doing this with his tax plan."

The Committee's Republican leadership has consistently voted to block Mr. Doggett's amendment. A recent ABC News/Washington Post poll found that 74% of Americans would like for President Trump to disclose his tax returns.

In May, a week before his abrupt firing, former FBI Director James Comey testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee and explained why tax returns can be important to a criminal investigation. He said, "They show motive, income. Something on a tax return that indicates it is criminal activity… it's a relatively common tool." On May 9, Director Comey was abruptly fired by President Trump.

You can view Rep. Doggett's full remarks before the Ways and Means Committee here.