Wnited States Senate
/ASHINGTON, DC 20510
March 1, 2017
The Honorable Orrin Hatch
Chairman
Senate Committee on Finance
219 Dirksen Senate Office Buil
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Chairman Hatch:
We write to urge you to use your authority as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance to
request the tax returns of the President and his businesses for review by Committee members in
closed executive session
As you are aware, there have been numerous reports in the media of the Trump Administration,
the Trump campaign, and other Trump associates® close ties to the Russian government.’ These
concerns are compounded by reports of the President's business entanglements. which may reach
around the globe. from Russia, to China, Azerbaijan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates,
‘Turkey, Qatar. Indonesia, the Philippines, and many others."""" Since becoming President, Mr.
Trump has obtained a trademark registration for his Donald J. ‘Trump brand from China shortly
aller providing U.S. policy concessions to the Chinese government, which could raise significant
Constitutional concerns." “These unprecedented contTicts of interest pose a threat to American
national security and the integrity of the government of the United States.
The Senate Committee on Finance is charged with oversight of global financial crimes
enforcement and international trade relationships. as well as the administration of our nation’s
tax laws. As such, tax code section 6103(f4) grants the Chairman of the Finance Committee
power to obtain tax return information from the Department of the Treasury. We regard the
confidentiality of tax return information as a fundamental part of our tax system. Accordingly,
the powers under 6103()(4) provide a venue for members of the Senate Finance Committee to
examine matiers of national importance in closed executive session. while maintaining the
confidentiality crucial to our tax system, In 2015, Republican chairmen of the Congressional tax
writing committees utilized this power to obtain more than 70 million individual items of
taxpayer data”
Given the critical issues raised by the President's business entanglements, we respectfully
request that you use this authority to obtain the tax returns of the President and his businesses for
review by committee members in a closed executive session of the Finance Committee. If
Committee members identify ties or relations to foreign governments within these document
we will respectfully request the Chairman and members of the committee hold a vote to mak
that information available to the public.Sincerely
Debi:
United States Senator
Maria Cantwell
United States Senator
Bon Ceales
in Cardin
United States Senator
Ov. Care3,9r,
Robert P. Casey Jr
United States Senator
"Trump Campaign Aides Had Repeated Contacts With Russian Intelligence, Ne
Porertial Conficts Around the Globe for Trump, the Businessman Pres dent, New York Times, Nov. 2
im thal ne has ne Business Ties to Russia, Vox, Feb. 17, 207
fecent Trump Win on China Trademark Rises Flhies Questions, Fox News, Feb. 16, 2017
ction Pursuant to Internal Revenue Code Section 6103[p}{3/(C) for Calendar
Fact Checking Trurnp’s
» Disclosure Repart for Publi
‘year 2015, Joint Commitee on Tax, April 18, 2016
Ron Wyden
United States §
Thomas Carper
United States Senator
Michael Bennet
United States Senator
York Times, Feb. 14, 20)