Donald Trump refiled a lawsuit on Monday aimed at blocking Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance from obtaining his tax returns, with his lawyers saying the prosecutor’s subpoena was issued in «bad faith.»
The filing by the president’s personal legal team comes a few weeks after the Supreme Court ruled Mr Vance could continue his pursuit of Mr Trump’s financial records. Democratic lawmakers have tried to pry them loose for years, but the president claims he is under audit by the Internal Revenue Service, and therefore cannot make them public; the IRS has declined comment.
The high court rejected the Trump team’s argument that Mr Vance could not be investigated by New York state officials while he occupies the Office of the President. But the justices said Mr Trump could challenge the subpoena on other grounds of his choosing.
«The District Attorney issued a grand-jury subpoena he knew was overbroad and sought irrelevant records,» Mr Trump’s lawyers wrote in their suit.
«That the District Attorney dubiously claims he did this for ‘efficiency’ reasons does not save the subpoena from invalidation,» according to team Trump. «It confirms that he lacked a goodfaith basis and that the subpoena amounts to harassment of the President.»
Mr Vance reportedly is looking into cash payments Mr Trump made paid to adult film star Stormy Daniels after an alleged sexual relationship she said was consensual.
