Democrats demand Trump tax returns by April 23

WASHINGTON: Democratic lawmakers on Saturday gave the Internal Revenue Service a final deadline of April 23 to hand over President Donald Trump's tax returns, which Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the administration was diligently considering.

"I am aware that concerns have been raised regarding my request and the authority of the Committee. Those concerns lack merit," House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal said in a letter to IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig after an initial April 10 deadline lapsed.

On Wednesday, Mnuchin said the Treasury was handling the request and that a deadline set for that date would be missed, citing possible constitutional issues raised by the Democratic request.

But on Saturday, he said the administration would respond by the latest target date.

"I'm sure we'll respond by that deadline, not going to make a commitment prematurely whether we'll be able to conclude a legal review by that deadline," Mnuchin said. "We have people working on it diligently."

Calling Neal's new deadline an "arbitrary" date, Mnuchin said the Democrats' request could set "enormous precedent in potentially weaponizing the IRS."

Trump argues that he cannot release his tax returns because they are being audited, but the IRS has said this is no impediment to their release.

"It is not the proper function of the IRS, Treasury or Justice to question or second guess the motivations of the Committee or its reasonable determinations regarding its need for the requested tax returns and return information," Neal said.

"Concerns about what the Committee may do with the tax returns and return information are baseless."

Neal gave the government until 5:00 pm (2100 GMT) on April 23 to hand over the tax records.

"Please know that, if you fail to comply, your failure will be interpreted as a denial of my request," Neal wrote.