Will a Leak Reveal Trump’s Tax Returns? Don’t Hold Your Breath
opponents of Mr. Trump have wondered aloud how it could be that top intelligence agencies are suddenly fonts of classified information while the staid tax collector remains hermetically sealed.
.. Mr. Trump broke with 40 years of tradition as a presidential candidate, declining to make his tax information public on the grounds that he was undergoing an I.R.S. audit. The government has made clear that is, in fact, no impediment to release, but since corporations like the Trump Organization are audited constantly, the excuse will not disappear, and he is not expected ever to release his returns willingly.
.. “I think an I.R.S. leak is extremely unlikely,” said Fred Goldberg, who served as I.R.S. commissioner from 1989 to 1992. “It’s a combination of the culture, the legal framework, the logistics and the risks.”
.. Twice this month they have forced votes to demand the returns’ release, but Republicans have closed ranks around the president.