Trump ordered to turn tax returns over to NY grand jury

President Trump must turn over his tax returns to a New York grand jury, a federal judge ruled Monday, rejecting the White House’s effort to shield him.

Mr. Trump immediately filed an emergency appeal with the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Judge Victor Marrero called the president’s attempt to avoid turning over his taxes in a criminal case “extraordinary,” and rejected Mr. Trump’s claims that he would be distracted from his official duties by having to worry about complying with the prosecutors’ demands.

“The interest the president asserts in maintaining confidentiality of certain personal financial and tax records that largely relate to a time before he assumed office, and that may involve unlawful conduct by third persons and possibly the president, is far outweighed by the interests of state law enforcement officers and the federal courts in ensuring the full, fair and effective administration of justice,” ruled Judge Marrero, a Clinton appointee to the court.

He said if the courts were to accept Mr. Trump’s immunity argument it would shield the president from investigation into any conduct, at any level of government — and could even be used to protect his associated from probe.

The ruling is unlikely to be the last word in what’s quickly becoming a major constitutional clash over the extent of presidential powers.

In this case Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. is seeking eight years of personal and corporate tax returns from Mr. Trump and his associated businesses, and issued a grand jury subpoena to Mazars USA, the president’s accounting firm, for the documents.