Mnuchin says Treasury unable to comply with deadline for Trump's tax returns
據美聯社最新消息，美國財政部已錯過了向眾議院籌款委員會主席提交美國總統川普納稅申報單的最後期限。
此前，據美國有線電視新聞網 (CNN) 報導，針對眾議院對美國國稅局於4月10日前提供川普近6年的個人及公司納稅申報單的要求，美國財政部長姆努欽曾於周三表示：“無法按時提供。”在寫給委員會主席理查德·尼爾的一封信中姆努欽還表示，財政部尚未決定是否遵守這一要求。財政部將與司法部磋商，謹慎考慮這一要求。
The Treasury Department has missed a deadline to deliver US President Donald Trump's tax returns to the House Ways and Means Committee chairman.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin informed Congress early Wednesday evening that his department would be unable to comply with House Democrats' deadline for President Donald Trump's tax returns, inserting himself into what is sure to be a pitched battle for the closely held documents.
In a letter to committee Chairman Richard Neal, D-Mass., on Wednesday, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said his department hasn't decided whether to comply with the demand and said Treasury will consult with the Justice Department and "carefully" review the request further. Neal asked for Trump's returns a week ago.
4月3日，美國眾議院籌款委員會主席理查德·尼爾致信美國財政部下屬機構——美國國稅局，要求查看美國總統川普近六年的個人與其名下八個商業實體於2013年至2018年間的納稅申報單。
House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal on April 3 formally requested Trump's personal tax returns as well as eight of Trump's business entities in the past six years from the Internal Revenue Service.
(Photo:AP)
這是45年來該委員會首次向國稅局索要現任總統的稅務信息。民主黨人強調，該要求完全符合法律賦予其的督察權力。早在20世紀20年代，因蒂波特山油田醜聞一事中嚴重的腐敗問題，美國法律就已明確規定，眾議院或參議院主席有權要求財政部長提供相關稅務記錄。
It was the first such demand for a sitting president’s tax information in 45 years and Neal cited a little known IRS code based on a history lesson of the Teapot Dome scandal and its aftermath which requires that "the secretary shall furnish such committee with any return or return information specified in such request". The Teapot Dome scandal involved the leasing of oil fields by Secretary of the Interior Albert B. Fall and alleged bribery under the Harding administration in the 1920s.
A bargain between the two parties
兩黨之間的討價還價
然而，在周三回應尼爾的一封公開信中，美國財長姆努欽表示該法律不能“用於攻擊或以難堪另一個政黨的政治人物為目的”，並表達了其對尼爾“濫用職權”的擔憂。
In his letter, Mnuchin cited concerns over “an abuse of authority” and wrote that the law cited in Neal’s request could not be used “for purposes of embarrassing or attacking political figures of another party”.
在信中，姆努欽強調自己將親自監督財政部對這一請求的處理，並正在征詢司法部的意見，為了”保護每一個美國人免受出於政治動機而披露個人稅務信息的影響。”
Highlighting what he called the "unprecedented nature of this request," Mnuchin said that he would be overseeing the Treasury's handling of the request and that the Department of Justice was being consulted to protect all American taxpayers from the potential implications of the request.
對此，參議院財政委員會民主黨領袖、俄勒岡州參議員羅恩·懷登稱，財長姆努欽的參與是“政治乾預的表現”，並補充說，“如果姆努欽拒絕提供總統的納稅申報單，他將觸犯法律。”
The top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, on Wednesday called Mnuchin's involvement "a sign of political interference," adding that "if Secretary Mnuchin does not provide the president's tax returns, he will break the law."
(Photo:Getty image)
尼爾表示目前正在與律師溝通尋求下一步解決方案。
Neal said Wednesday that he would discuss the proper response with counsel since the Treasury Department "has decided not to allow the IRS to comply with my request by the April 10 deadline."
與此同時，川普10日在白宮表示，自己的資產報表正在接受審計，在此期間不會公布自己的納稅申報單。
“我很願意給他們，但在審計期間沒有義務公布這些信息”，川普強調。
他表示自己曾於大選期間公布了一份財務報表，內容包括從2015年初起的資產、收入和債務估算額。
Trump continued late Wednesday to hold the line on refusing to release his tax returns. Trump has said that he's been under audit since before the election. "I would love to give them, but I’m not going to do it while I’m under audit,” Trump told reporters as he departed the White House for a trip to Texas, noting that he has released a 104-page summary of his assets and values when he won the election in 2016.
美媒《國會山報》援引美國國稅局的消息稱，國稅局對總統的審計工作並不妨礙其公布自己的稅務信息。另外，國稅局確有一項內部政策用於審計現任總統。
According to the Hills, the IRS has said that audits don’t prevent individuals from releasing their own tax information, and the agency has an internal policy to audit the sitting president.
華盛頓郵報稱，川普是40多年來第一位拒絕公開報稅記錄的美國總統。
儘管法律沒有明文規定，但數十年來，美國總統和總統候選人都會自願公開他們的報稅表。CNN指出，前總統奧巴馬和小布什都曾在任期內公開自己的納稅記錄。（但他們都沒有像川普那樣曾領導著一個龐大的商業帝國——川普此前的商業活動涉及約500家企業。 ）
The Washington Post said Trump was the first president in over 40 years to decline releasing his tax returns to the American public.
The past US presidents voluntarily released their tax returns while in office. Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush both did during their tenure. (But neither of them led a sprawling business empire like Trump, who is involved in approximately 500 corporate entities.)
此前，美國白宮代理幕僚長米克·馬爾瓦尼在接受福克斯新聞台採訪也曾表示，民主黨永遠也別想得到川普的納稅申報單。
Democrats in Congress will “never” see Donald Trump’s tax returns, acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney said on Sunday.
(Photo:Fox News)
“他們連相關文件也不應該拿到。這是一個在大選中就引起爭議的問題，選民知道總統不會上交納稅申報單但還是選擇了他，這才是讓民主黨作出如此瘋狂舉動的原因!”，並指責民主黨人的要求是一個“政治噱頭”。
Trump broke with precedent but not law when he chose not to release any tax returns while he was a candidate, though portions of some returns were leaked to media outlets. On Sunday, Mulvaney insisted the issue was “already litigated during the election” and the American people “elected him anyway”.
白宮和共和黨指責民主黨此舉是對總統的另一場“政治迫害”，是在試圖將稅務問題政治化。
Concerning this, the White House said that Democratic efforts to obtain Trump’s tax records are “political games.” Republicans have denounced it as a political witch hunt and invoked privacy concerns.
姆努欽上個月也曾表示，無論國會議員是否試圖要求公開川普的納稅申報單，他都將保護總統的隱私。
Mnuchin suggested in March that he would protect Trump’s privacy if he receives a request from House Democrats for Trump’s tax returns, AP reported.
2017年1月，30萬美國公民在白宮網站上簽署了一份在線請願書，要求川普公開納稅申報單，然而被川普以“缺乏興趣”為由而拒絕。
2017年4月15日，美國各大城市爆發相關示威活動。
After 300,000 American citizens signed an online petition on WhiteHouse.gov in January 2017, Trump spokesperson Kellyanne Conway announced Trump would not release his tax returns due to lack of interest. A series of demonstrations broke out in more than 150 locations throughout the US on April 15, 2017, a move to pressure Trump to release his tax returns.
(Photo:ibitimes)
在華盛頓，數以千計的各年齡層示威者聚集在國會大樓前參加這場“稅務遊行”(Tax March)，高舉著“他在隱藏什麽?”和“真男人會繳稅”的牌子。這場稅務大遊行還有一個非官方的吉祥物：一隻“形似”川普的充氣公雞。
The protests, with signs reading "What is he hiding" were a response to the perceived lack of transparency in the Trump administration, and the fact that President Trump still had not released his tax returns by that date, contrary to his promise that he would during his campaign.
According to the New York Times, they also have an unofficial mascot: a giant inflatable rooster known colloquially as “Trump chicken.”
(Photo:CNN)
在宣布參加總統競選的一年多前，川普對一家愛爾蘭電視台說，如果他參加競選，他“絕對”會公布他的納稅申報單。
“如果我決定競選公職，我絕對會提交我的納稅申報單”， 他說， “我很樂意這麽做。”
MAY 20, 2014:
More than a year before he announced his presidential campaign, Trump told an Irish television station that he would "absolutely" release his tax returns if he entered the race.
"If I decide to run for office, I'll produce my tax returns, absolutely," he said. "And I would love to do that."
2015年，在接受美國廣播公司喬治·斯特凡諾普洛斯採訪時，川普表示正在考慮公布自己的納稅申報單。
OCTOBER 4, 2015
Trump said in an interview with ABC's George Stephanopoulos that he was considering releasing his tax returns.
白宮時任新聞秘書斯派塞於2017年四月曾表示，川普的納稅申報單仍在審計中。
“這和競選期間討論過的事情是一樣的，總統正在接受審計。這是一個持續的例行公事，”斯派塞說。當被問及是否可以假設川普將永遠不會公布他的申報單時，斯派塞說，川普會“回頭再告訴你”。
APRIL 17, 2017:
Spicer, the White House press secretary, says Trump's tax returns are still under audit.Asked in a later exchange if we can assume Trump will never release his returns, Spicer said he would "get back to you on that."
(File photo of Spicer)
值得一提的是，4月15日是美國每年的報稅截止日期。在此之前，“納稅門”是否會有新的進展呢，讓我們拭目以待。
As April 15 marks the annual Tax Day in the US, Trump's further actions on tax returns have attracted great attention.
Sources：CNN, The Guardian, 環球網
Compiled by Shan Xin
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