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REUTERS
WASHINGTON
A REPUBLICAN-CONTROLLED congressional panel rejected a bid by Democrats on Tuesday to obtain President Donald Trump's tax returns, despite warnings that Trump's business holdings could pose conflicts of interest as Congress turns to tax reform.
At a sometimes fiery 2-1/2-hour hearing that careened from lawmaker concerns over political corruption and national security to privacy rights and tax accounting, the House Ways and Means Committee voted 24-16 along party lines to oppose a Democratic resolution that sought the release of 10 years of Trump's tax returns to the House of Representatives.
While the hearing was under way, House Republicans separately turned back a Democratic attempt to force a floor vote on Trump's tax returns.
Committee Republicans accused Democrats of using the committee for political grandstanding."This resolution is a procedural tool being utilized - and I think, abused - for obvious political purposes,"panel Chairman Kevin Brady said.
Democrats said they were exercising proper congressional oversight and accused Republicans of protecting Trump.
Trump has defied decades of precedent by refusing to release his returns, saying his tax affairs are under federal audit. The Internal Revenue Service says audits pose no obstacle to releasing tax returns.
