# Does the President have the legal right to look at the tax returns of any citizen (Donald Trump)? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [August 4, 2016, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-president-have-the-legal-right-to-look-at-the-tax-returns-of-any-citizen-donald-trump/761755 "2016-08-04T17:10:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![glowacks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/glowacks/32/5548_2.png) [@glowacks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glowacks)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2016, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-president-have-the-legal-right-to-look-at-the-tax-returns-of-any-citizen-donald-trump/761755/21 "2016-08-05T15:04:54Z")
From what I understand of things having taken a class in IRS procedure as part of my accounting degree, those hearings caused a major shift in IRS procedure to at least appear to be much more friendly towards taxpayers. While I can’t recall if the hearings were mentioned by name, there definitely was an implication that in the last decade or two that the IRS was trying to no longer be the ridiculously nasty agency that they had been in the past. Whether individual revenue agents changed their behavior, I don’t know, but I’m guessing that if one were to take a case to appeals that the appeals officer would be more likely to be willing to bargain and compromise and not risk the case getting taken to Tax Court if anything was not ironclad. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2016, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-president-have-the-legal-right-to-look-at-the-tax-returns-of-any-citizen-donald-trump/761755/22 "2016-08-05T17:34:59Z")
> [@Flyer](#): > > You must be new around here. The IRS’s reputation was ruined at least 30 years ago. > > Let me introduce you to the 1997 Roth hearings. > > [http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1997/09/24/irs.hearing/](http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1997/09/24/irs.hearing/) A Kangaroo court. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2016, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-president-have-the-legal-right-to-look-at-the-tax-returns-of-any-citizen-donald-trump/761755/23 "2016-08-05T18:13:01Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Here’s what (g) (2) says: > > That does not include the information _on_ the return. It is nowhere near allowing the President to “peruse the return.” > > Yes, the information is available for tax prosecutions. And it also appears to become available via court order. [Author who’s seen Trump’s tax returns says documents would expose lies about his wealth.](http://www.rawstory.com/2016/08/author-whos-seen-trumps-tax-returns-says-documents-would-expose-lies-about-his-wealth/?utm_source=fark&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=im&utm_tracker=1737131x84899) Sec g2 sounds like what is public information anyway. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2016, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-president-have-the-legal-right-to-look-at-the-tax-returns-of-any-citizen-donald-trump/761755/24 "2016-08-05T19:03:27Z")
Somebody like Warren Buffett should offer any IRS workers with the ability $5m to steal Trump’s returns and release it. Once its out, all the crying in the world won’t put it back in hiding ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2016, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-president-have-the-legal-right-to-look-at-the-tax-returns-of-any-citizen-donald-trump/761755/25 "2016-08-06T04:28:03Z")
> [@YogSothoth](#): > > Somebody like Warren Buffett should offer any IRS workers with the ability $5m to steal Trump’s returns and release it. Once its out, all the crying in the world won’t put it back in hiding I think Buffett’s a little too smart to commit incitement to a felony. ---
**Author:** ![Algernon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a183cd/32.png) [@Algernon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algernon)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2016, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-president-have-the-legal-right-to-look-at-the-tax-returns-of-any-citizen-donald-trump/761755/26 "2016-08-08T14:37:22Z")
If I were an IRS employee with access to the Tangerine Nightmare’s tax returns, I would be tempted to leak them to the press. Or WikiLeaks. I wonder how hard that would be. I suspect security is pretty tight, but for example, are employees restricted from carrying their smart-phones with them while working? Of course, there is the potential and not insignificant downside of getting caught. Would I have to pull a Snowden to stay out of jail? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2016, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-president-have-the-legal-right-to-look-at-the-tax-returns-of-any-citizen-donald-trump/761755/27 "2016-08-08T16:56:23Z")
> [@Algernon](#): > > If I were an IRS employee with access to the Tangerine Nightmare’s tax returns, I would be tempted to leak them to the press. Or WikiLeaks. > > I wonder how hard that would be. I suspect security is pretty tight, but for example, are employees restricted from carrying their smart-phones with them while working? > > Of course, there is the potential and not insignificant downside of getting caught. Would I have to pull a Snowden to stay out of jail? His account is likely locked, needs approval before viewing. And if you have general access and you look someones account up, and it doesnt match something you are assigned to, you have to justify it. Now sure, it’s not uncommon to type 123-45-6798 instead of 123-45-6789, and that’s easy to call a “oops”, but you’re not gonna get away with that for a celebrity of that level. But as I said, the account is likely locked. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAlecCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/67e7ee/32.png) [@SmartAlecCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAlecCat)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2016, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-president-have-the-legal-right-to-look-at-the-tax-returns-of-any-citizen-donald-trump/761755/28 "2016-08-08T17:32:51Z")
> [@Johnny\_Ace](#): > > I think Buffett’s a little too smart to commit incitement to a felony. Screw the presidency, the civil suit alone would be a dream for Trump. ---
**Author:** ![Algernon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a183cd/32.png) [@Algernon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algernon)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-president-have-the-legal-right-to-look-at-the-tax-returns-of-any-citizen-donald-trump/761755/29 "2016-08-09T13:33:08Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > His account is likely locked, needs approval before viewing. And if you have general access and you look someones account up, and it doesnt match something you are assigned to, you have to justify it. Now sure, it’s not uncommon to type 123-45-6798 instead of 123-45-6789, and that’s easy to call a “oops”, but you’re not gonna get away with that for a celebrity of that level. > > But as I said, the account is likely locked. Oh well. There goes my dream of his tax returns getting leaked by an IRS employee. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-president-have-the-legal-right-to-look-at-the-tax-returns-of-any-citizen-donald-trump/761755/30 "2016-08-09T13:50:47Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > Looks like it but he would probably face serious pushback from the IRS. The privacy of tax returns is pretty sacrosanct and handing them over for a political attack would seriously damage the agency’s credibility and reputation. Do you really think a subordinate would questions the ultimate superior’s request and assurance that he needed it for legitimate reasons? None the least of which might be reviewing Trump’s holdings with respect to national security issues and pending candidate security briefings. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-president-have-the-legal-right-to-look-at-the-tax-returns-of-any-citizen-donald-trump/761755/31 "2016-08-09T13:52:40Z")
> [@Algernon](#): > > Oh well. There goes my dream of his tax returns getting leaked by an IRS employee. ☹ I’m hoping they (Wiki) posts a fake one, so bad in fact that Trump has no recourse but to release the real ones. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-president-have-the-legal-right-to-look-at-the-tax-returns-of-any-citizen-donald-trump/761755/32 "2016-08-09T13:57:00Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > I’m hoping they (Wiki) posts a fake one, so bad in fact that Trump has no recourse but to release the real ones. If you mean WikiLeaks, they’re pretty much on Trump’s side. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-president-have-the-legal-right-to-look-at-the-tax-returns-of-any-citizen-donald-trump/761755/33 "2016-08-09T14:29:02Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > Do you really think a subordinate would questions the ultimate superior’s request and assurance that he needed it for legitimate reasons? None the least of which might be reviewing Trump’s holdings with respect to national security issues and pending candidate security briefings. Yes, I do think he’d question it. He’s not just some flunky. Koskinen is already under fire and I doubt he would want to appear as such a political sycophant. If he threatened to resign over the request Obama would be putting a lot at risk by pushing it. And for what? A fishing expedition? ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-president-have-the-legal-right-to-look-at-the-tax-returns-of-any-citizen-donald-trump/761755/34 "2016-08-09T15:33:39Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > I thought I remembered that Nixon asked for tax returns and that was considered up there with Watergate as one his big crimes. IIRC Nixon said, when it leaked, that some person whose IRS file he looked at was under consideration for some Federal job - but that turned out to be a lie. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2016, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-president-have-the-legal-right-to-look-at-the-tax-returns-of-any-citizen-donald-trump/761755/35 "2016-08-10T16:01:00Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > IIRC Nixon said, when it leaked, that some person whose IRS file he looked at was under consideration for some Federal job - but that turned out to be a lie. Found it - that was about CBS’s (later NPR’s) Daniel Schorr: [Discovery Hub - News & Technology](http://my.xfinity.com/blogs/tv/2010/12/23/fbi-releases-files-on-nprs-daniel-schorr/) ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2016, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-president-have-the-legal-right-to-look-at-the-tax-returns-of-any-citizen-donald-trump/761755/36 "2016-08-10T17:27:07Z")
> [@Algernon](#): > > Oh well. There goes my dream of his tax returns getting leaked by an IRS employee. ☹ Many people are saying that the Russians will hack the IRS. I don’t know. That’s what they’re saying. It will be yuge if they do. ---
**Author:** ![Skinnybones\_Lampshade](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skinnybones_lampshade/32/2872_2.png) [@Skinnybones\_Lampshade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skinnybones_Lampshade)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2016, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-president-have-the-legal-right-to-look-at-the-tax-returns-of-any-citizen-donald-trump/761755/37 "2016-08-11T03:18:46Z")
Thank you so much to all the contributors thus far. I can’t help but wish, I must admit, that the Trump tax returns somehow come out, legally and legitimately, but conveniently, very soon… …And that they finally! devastate his campaign, and are also released too late for the Republicans to finagle some substitute contender into the race. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2016, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-president-have-the-legal-right-to-look-at-the-tax-returns-of-any-citizen-donald-trump/761755/38 "2016-08-11T07:19:07Z")
> [@Skinnybones\_Lampshade](#): > > I can’t help but wish, I must admit, that the Trump tax returns somehow come out, legally and legitimately, but conveniently, very soon… > > …And that they finally! devastate his campaign, and are also released too late for the Republicans to finagle some substitute contender into the race. No, what you wish for is for is for the United States to be a political shithole like China or North Korea. There is something wrong with you if you think that single party elections are something to aspire to - you should always want a fair election, if only to force your own bastards to be slightly less terrible than the competition. How would you feel if Hillary Clinton’s doctor violated HIPPA to release her medical records for politicial gain? Because that’s basically what you’re cheering for here. ---
**Author:** ![Skinnybones\_Lampshade](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skinnybones_lampshade/32/2872_2.png) [@Skinnybones\_Lampshade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skinnybones_Lampshade)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2016, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-president-have-the-legal-right-to-look-at-the-tax-returns-of-any-citizen-donald-trump/761755/39 "2016-08-11T13:47:49Z")
No, I do not want the U.S. to be a “political shithole.” I said I would like Trump’s tax returns to come out “legally and legitimately”. That does not involve anyone violating anyone else’s rights, because that would not be legal. I also would not like a one-party system. This election process has already given the parties more than adequate time to select their candidates. They have done so. Unbelievably, at least to me, one party has settled on Trump. To me, he seems to be unhinged and dangerous. I can’t help but hope he will be\*\* legally\*\* discredited. I hope that is clearer. I also hope that this clarification does not cause you to continue to think that there is something wrong with me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-president-have-the-legal-right-to-look-at-the-tax-returns-of-any-citizen-donald-trump/761755.md?page=1)