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WASHINGTON — House Democrats hope to revive the public's waning interest in Special Counsel Robert Mueller on Wednesday, when they bring him to Capitol Hill for a good old-fashioned grilling.
But while they've fought internally about how to act on Mueller’s damning conclusions, they’ve actually seen some progress when it comes to investigating Trump in another crucial area: his finances.
1. Trump’s federal tax returns
The most recent line of attack was opened up right before the July 4th holiday, when House Democrats launched a new lawsuit aimed at enforcing their subpoena for six years of Trump’s personal and business tax returns.
2. Trump’s accountants
Democrats have subpoenaed records from Trump’s longtime accounting firm, Mazars USA, in a case that may be decided by the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals this month. Oral arguments took place on July 12.
3. Trump’s foreign funds
House Democrats argue Trump shouldn’t be receiving payments from foreign governments while serving as president, and they’ve sued to put a stop to it.
4. Trump’s favorite bank
For years, Germany’s Deutsche Bank has been closer to Trump than any other bank, lending or participating in loans to Trump’s businesses totaling $2.5 billion over 17 years.
5. New York vs. Deutsche Bank
New York Attorney General Letitia James swept into office earlier this year vowing to probe every inch of Trump’s business empire.
Since then, her office has subpoenaed records from Deutsche Bank, doubling up on the House efforts to crack open Trump’s favorite lender.
Congressional committees and law enforcement officials are also probing Deutsche’s role in facilitating global money laundering linked to Russia.
6. Trump’s hush money
The House Oversight Committee launched an investigation last winter into hush-money payments to women claiming they slept with Trump. Those payments were allegedly made “at the direction of” Trump, according to a legal filing prepared by prosecutors in the Southern District of New York.
7. Trump’s insurance broker
New York officials have also subpoenaed records from the Trump Organization’s longtime insurance broker, Aon.
The state’s Department of Financial Services is seeking to uncover details of the compensation arrangements between the Trump Organization and the broker, and whether fees were structured as flat payments or as commissions.
8. Trump’s charitable foundation
Last year, the previous New York Attorney General, Barbara Underwood, accused Trump’s namesake charity, the Trump Foundation, of a “shocking pattern of illegality” while “functioning as little more than a checkbook to serve Mr. Trump’s business and political interests.”
9. Trump’s NY state tax returns
If House Democrats fail to pry Trump’s federal tax returns from the IRS, New York State has a backup plan.
Lawmakers have passed legislation that would allow the chairs of the tax-writing committees of Congress to request Trump’s state tax returns. That means if House Dems can't unearth his federal filings, they’ll be able to at least procure his state taxes.
https://news.vice.com/en_us/article/bj9973/trump-still-faces-9-investigations-into-his-finances
But while they've fought internally about how to act on Mueller’s damning conclusions, they’ve actually seen some progress when it comes to investigating Trump in another crucial area: his finances.
1. Trump’s federal tax returns
The most recent line of attack was opened up right before the July 4th holiday, when House Democrats launched a new lawsuit aimed at enforcing their subpoena for six years of Trump’s personal and business tax returns.
2. Trump’s accountants
Democrats have subpoenaed records from Trump’s longtime accounting firm, Mazars USA, in a case that may be decided by the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals this month. Oral arguments took place on July 12.
3. Trump’s foreign funds
House Democrats argue Trump shouldn’t be receiving payments from foreign governments while serving as president, and they’ve sued to put a stop to it.
4. Trump’s favorite bank
For years, Germany’s Deutsche Bank has been closer to Trump than any other bank, lending or participating in loans to Trump’s businesses totaling $2.5 billion over 17 years.
5. New York vs. Deutsche Bank
New York Attorney General Letitia James swept into office earlier this year vowing to probe every inch of Trump’s business empire.
Since then, her office has subpoenaed records from Deutsche Bank, doubling up on the House efforts to crack open Trump’s favorite lender.
Congressional committees and law enforcement officials are also probing Deutsche’s role in facilitating global money laundering linked to Russia.
6. Trump’s hush money
The House Oversight Committee launched an investigation last winter into hush-money payments to women claiming they slept with Trump. Those payments were allegedly made “at the direction of” Trump, according to a legal filing prepared by prosecutors in the Southern District of New York.
7. Trump’s insurance broker
New York officials have also subpoenaed records from the Trump Organization’s longtime insurance broker, Aon.
The state’s Department of Financial Services is seeking to uncover details of the compensation arrangements between the Trump Organization and the broker, and whether fees were structured as flat payments or as commissions.
8. Trump’s charitable foundation
Last year, the previous New York Attorney General, Barbara Underwood, accused Trump’s namesake charity, the Trump Foundation, of a “shocking pattern of illegality” while “functioning as little more than a checkbook to serve Mr. Trump’s business and political interests.”
9. Trump’s NY state tax returns
If House Democrats fail to pry Trump’s federal tax returns from the IRS, New York State has a backup plan.
Lawmakers have passed legislation that would allow the chairs of the tax-writing committees of Congress to request Trump’s state tax returns. That means if House Dems can't unearth his federal filings, they’ll be able to at least procure his state taxes.
https://news.vice.com/en_us/article/bj9973/trump-still-faces-9-investigations-into-his-finances
