Pelosi Remarks at Press Conference on Demanding a Vote Requiring President Trump to Release Tax Returns
Contact: Ashley Etienne/Caroline Behringer, 202-226-7616
Washington, D.C. – Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi joined Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (NY-8), Congressman Richard Neal (MA-1), Congresswoman Anna Eshoo (CA-18), Congressman Bill Pascrell (NJ-9) and House Democrats held a press conference on the launch of a discharge petition on Rep. Eshoo's Presidential Tax Transparency Act. The petition would force a vote on bipartisan legislation to require President Trump, and all future presidents and nominees, to disclose their tax returns to the American people. Below is a transcript of the press conference.
Leader Pelosi Opening Remarks
"Good morning, everyone! Thank you for being here, once again, I'm honored to be here with the Ranking Member of the Ways and Means Committee Richard Neal of Massachusetts, Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, the author of the legislation we're going to be talking about here, Congressman Bill Pascrell of New Jersey, who has been a relentless champion on getting the truth to the American people, Congressman Hakeem Jeffries of New York who this week was the maker of the Privileged Resolution to release the President's tax returns, as well as working with other members of the House Democratic Caucus.
This has been a really – getting the truth to the American people is what we think is our responsibility. As you know, every President since Gerald Ford – actually, every nominee on both sides of the aisle since then has released their tax returns. So the history of it is important to American people. It isn't as if the tax returns tell the whole story but they are a key that opens the door to so much information.
We're especially concerned about any information that might show any connection – Russian connection, Chinese connection, in terms of business interests of the Trump organization to any of these countries. It's really a very important thing.
At a time when they are saying, we don't want to see the President's tax return – but last week [Republicans] voted on the floor for the CRA, Congressional Review Act bill, that would say, in your family, your medical records, your children's whereabouts, how you search on the internet, all of your most private interactions on the internet, not only would be revealed but could be sold. You are for sale! Every interaction you have on the internet can be sold, according to what they did then. Totally disrespecting, disregarding your privacy – they now say, ‘we have to protect the President's privacy.'
It's not a right to privacy that the President has. He's the President of the United States there is a question about a Russia connection politically, personally, financially to the President, there's concerns about recent actions by the Chinese government, in relation to the Trump Organization. There are plenty of reasons why we need this key to open the door to the information we need to connect the dots and if they have nothing to fear, then what are they afraid of.
I'm very proud of the work of some of the people that I mentioned and others as well. I am very honored to yield to Congresswoman Anna Eshoo who has been a champion on this issue, author of legislation requiring the release of this information, and we're here today to announce a discharge petition of that information. And with that, I'm pleased to yield to the Congresswoman from California, Congresswoman Anna Eshoo.
* * *
Q: The Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee told regional reporters yesterday that he thought it would be a violation of privacy, and you just can't go after a sitting President…
Ranking Member Richard Neal. This is not about the law, this is about custom and practice. It's a settled tradition and as I noted by using the word earlier, about begrudges – candidates reach the level of expectation that they're supposed to release their tax forms. I'm not aware of any of the Presidents that have been cited who ever publicly suggested that they thought it was an invasion of privacy.
Leader Pelosi. Mr. Pascrell, quote the Chairman when he said rumbling around in –
Congressman Pascrell. ‘Rumbling around in privacy, rummaging around,' well he didn't have any problem three years ago when we he went through 51 private tax returns of organizations. Which had nothing to do with [former IRS official] Ms. [Lois] Lerner, nothing at all to do with it, so that's boloney.
As the Leader said earlier before, they had no problems also in dealing with the FCC, the vote that took place last week, which we're getting a tremendous amount of calls on, [from] people from all persuasions. To talk about privacy, they've got to be kidding me! They cannot hide behind that any longer and the more that Mr. Brady continues to bring that up, like we're looking into someone's secrets the more convinced I am that they're hiding something. And that's why we're going to continue!
Leader Pelosi. Let me just say this about President Trump, he holds himself to a low standard and quite frankly, he's making fools of some of his friends. For Chairman Brady, a person who is respected in this body to defend the President in that way, when he knows that that's not right, it's just making him look foolish. He made Congressman Nunes look foolish by being his dupe on intelligence. He makes his staff look foolish when they have to represent the President to the press. He makes a fool of the Speaker, when he says go pass this bill, ‘oh, you did it wrong' just because he did his bidding.
So understand this President has a low standard for performance, for himself. But he has no sense of professionalism for taking responsibility and when things don't go right for him to blame it on others. This is very unusual for the person with the most power in the world, of anyone in the world to be so insecure that he could make dupes of his friends.
Q: So Republicans have generally not been signing on to your efforts over the last couple weeks on this, do you have any commitments from Republicans have said that have said they're going to sign onto this petition?
Congresswoman Eshoo. Well I'm an optimist, I'm an optimist on this subject because I think it's just as clear as day. I don't think anyone is giving up their love for the political party that they belong to – this is a very simple matter. There are two Republicans that signed on to the legislation, there are Republicans that have voted present or for the bill, I think it's going to grow, I think it's going to grow. I think it's going to grow because it's meritorious.
I also want to add something else to this and that is the whole issue of privacy. We worked on that for a long time to bring that about, it was just stripped out by the Congress. And notice that when the Republican signed the bill it was behind closed doors. It was behind closed doors because it was a shameful act on behalf of the American people.
So I am hopeful that Republicans will see the light, some have, and I think that more will. And we invite them to join us. Their constituents have already spoken; this is on the White House website, as the top issue. There are more [signatures] to have the President release his tax returns than any other issues on the website.
Leader Pelosi. As you've heard me say over and over: ‘Public sentiment is everything' – Abraham Lincoln. The public will drive it. 74 percent of the American people – that includes a great number of Trump voters – want the President to release his tax returns.
Yes, sir?
Q: Congressman Pascrell said that the word of the day was ‘complicit.' In an interview today, Ivanka Trump said, ‘I don't know what it means to be complicit,' and that not to conflate lack of public renouncement with silence when it comes to issues like Planned Parenthood. What do you make of those comments?
Leader Pelosi. Well, you know what? We're not here to talk about the President's family. But the fact is: I think everybody knows what the word ‘complicit' is. And what it means is: you're not acting in the interest of the American people. And without going into what lack of impact family members who profess to believe in the climate crisis or a woman's right to choose or any of the other things, but have no impact on the policy of the President of the United States – that's for the public to make a judgment.
Congressman Pascrell. By the way, 6103 in the code, which was entered into the code in 1924, did not only talk about the President, it meant the entire Executive Branch of government because of what had happened during that Teapot Dome scandal in Teapot Rock, Wyoming. Okay? Where they sold off public property with Naval Reserve oil. They had a party, they had a party well behind the curtain.
And so, you know, Vanderbilt – and I always carry this with me – Cornelius Vanderbilt said, when asked, ‘Law? Who cares about the law? Ain't I got the power?' When he was warned about violating the law. Now, there is no law, as Richie said, Richie Neal said, that compels the President to give us his tax reforms. Many times, custom is just as important as law, though.
Leader Pelosi. And if I just may, because the question was asked about – and Mr. Pascrell addressed it somewhat, as well as Congresswoman Eshoo. Mr. Jeffries talked about what is going to happen before Tax Day. You know, April 18th is Tax Day. 100 percent of American taxpayers will be submitting their tax returns. One person in the White House will not, again, be revealing his tax returns to the American people, who have a right to know.
Congressman Jeffries referenced that there will be events around the country leading up to Tax Day. Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, could you speak to some of those activities?
Congresswoman Schakowsky. The reason I feel optimistic – an answer to that question – is because we're facing now a two-week recess, where Members, assuming, will spend some time at home, and I think they are going to feel the pressure from their own constituents, just as they did in the so-called ‘repeal and replace' of Obamacare. And you saw the outcome of that. The American people are fully aware. And I think that in every town hall meeting, in every office visit, the phones are going to be ringing off the hook that the American people are going to be demanding the tax returns.
And then on Tax Day, I know in my city of Chicago, there will be a demonstration. There are over 20 cities around the country that are going to have big demonstrations. What you saw beginning the day after the Inauguration has not let up. We're talking about intensity. The only question any of us get now is: what can I do? And one of the answers is going to be: make sure your Member of Congress is put on the spot about Congresswoman Eshoo's discharge petition. ‘Are you for the President releasing his tax returns or not? We want to know.' That's going to be happening every day over the next few weeks.
Leader Pelosi. Congressman Tonko mentioned that the public will make this happen. Did you want to speak to that, Congressman?
Congressman Tonko. Absolutely. I've seen the numbers growing and growing in my district, which is not, I think, out of the ordinary. It's the public wanting transparency, as my good friend, Anna Eshoo, indicated. That's the hallmark of our government – accountability, transparency. And the people drive this process.
Having been involved in a county-level, state-level and now, here in Washington, I believe wholeheartedly that the people drive the process. Their sentiments need to be honored, they will be honored. And I just applaud all of the leadership of the House and the Members who are driving this forceful effort to make certain that accountability and transparency become the theme of the day.
Leader Pelosi. A champion on that is Congressman John Sarbanes. John, will you tell them of your stand on all of this?
Congressman Sarbanes. I just want to thank my colleagues and Anna for their efforts on this issue, which is going to be continuous. We're not going to let up. When you talk to people out in the country – as everybody here has said – there is real anxiety on the part of Americans about whether the President may have some divided loyalty – whether when he goes to make a decision that is supposed to be on behalf of the public. There are some other concerns of interests he has competing with that.
This is the highest office in the land. The public trust is placed in this office. That is the expectation of 330 million Americans – that you will carry out that office, recognizing the public trust that is placed in it.
And Americans just want to know that when the President is making important decisions on domestic policy and on foreign policy, that he doesn't have divided loyalties. This is nagging away at people. And he can come clean if he provides his tax returns, which is the first important baseline step in being transparent. That will do a lot to put that anxiety to rest. But, the fact that he won't release the tax returns, I think, is making a lot of Americans nervous.
So, we need to address this in our Caucus, but this leadership is going to continue to press on this issue. So thank you all.
Q: As a Member of the Intelligence Gang of Eight, have you asked to see the intelligence that the White House provided to Devin Nunes?
Leader Pelosi. I suspect that I will see that. I've asked for a lot of things. I expect to.
Q: Related to that, Representative Schiff said today – he said yesterday that he was expecting that this would be provided to more Members, including Intelligence Members – but he said today now that he is meeting resistance from the White House trying for other Members. Have you run into any resistance?
Leader Pelosi. Well, I don't expect to. But I'll tell you this: again, the White House has made fools of their allies in the House of Representatives in the way they've handled this. They cook up some intelligence, they bring the Chairman of the Committee, who has a very distinguished position, which he has tarnished, they use him as a tool to tell him what they have cooked up – ‘Now, you go tell the President what we cooked up and try to represent to the American people that this is legitimate intelligence.' But I'd like to stay on this subject. Yes, sir?
Q: Well, I did want to ask. Republicans are reprising their health care bill…
Leader Pelosi. Okay, [let's stay] on the subject of the discharge for a moment, and I'll come back to that – any other questions on that?
I'd like Congressman [David] Cicilline, who is one of the Co-Chairs of our Democratic Policy and Communications Committee to give us his thoughts…
Congressman Cicilline. I want to thank you, Madam Leader, and my colleagues for all of the work that is being done – in particularly, Anna Eshoo, for her great discharge petition. Look, this is very simple. Our ability to function as a democracy is that we must sustain the confidence of the American people that we're doing things in their best interest, not in our own financial interest over some other gain. And this is a very simply idea in that the President's ability to lead this country is directly undermined by the questions which continue to rise about his potential conflicts of interest, and whether or not he's making decisions in the best interest of the American people, or in his own personal or financial best interest. One way to get at that question is a simple release of his tax returns, a tradition which has been a tradition of every president in recent history. His refusal to do that, and sadly the Republicans' refusal so far to be part of this effort is disappointing, but we're not going to stop. This is something the American people are demanding so that they can have a sense of what those conflicts might be, and we're going to use every avenue we can to continue to press until we're successful in persuading or requiring the President to share those with the American people.
Leader Pelosi. Thank you, David. I thank all of our colleagues, especially thank Congresswoman Eshoo for introducing this legislation, she's been working on this for a long time and now will have the discharge petition. Congressman Pascrell, as Ranking Member Neal has said, has been a relentless, persistent, dissatisfied advocate on bringing the truth to the American people and I thank him for that. Richie, thank you for your leadership as well and Congressman Jeffries thank you for your statement but for your bringing the resolution to the floor the other day. To Jan and Hakeem, Congresswoman Schakowsky and Congressman Jeffries for reporting on what's happening out there – and by the way, we're not organizing. This is organic, this is springing as did the march from the people. They want to know the truth. Truth and openness, they're about democracy. Secrecy and darkness, that is a symbol of an authoritarian government. It's just plain wrong. So you wanted to ask a question on health care? Richie, would you stay for that? Yes sir.
Q: Sure, thank you. As you know Republicans are reprising their effort to bring back the healthcare bill. I wanted to ask how seriously do you take the prospect of their getting closer to 216 and will you be using the two week recess, how will you be using the two week recess to maybe try and bring focus on the efforts or sink the efforts?
Leader Pelosi. Richie, you want to talk from the standpoint of Ways and Means?
Congressman Neal. Sure I, I mean I don't see where there's been a lot of impetus or there's been a lot of momentum on their side, they seem as though that they're as confused as ever about how to proceed and it's what's left of the moderates on the Republicans side against the Freedom Caucus. The difficulty as they discovered in the run up to last Friday was that if they moved a little bit this way they lost large numbers in a part of their party and if they reversed it they lost people on the other side. And if you deal with preexisting conditions, if you deal with essential benefits, and if you deal with keeping 26 year olds on there's an actuarial reality here, you can't make this stuff up. So CBO came back with a pretty compelling score suggesting that 24 million people over 10 years would lose their health care and 14 million immediately! The arithmetic is pretty stubborn and as they attempt to move around that, and a suggestion has been over the last 48 hours well maybe they'll move more of this authority back to the states, the difficulty with that is they've been telling us now for seven years they like a ban on preexisting condition. So yesterday in speaking with some members of the Republican leadership it was suggested to me there have been a lot of meetings but not much headway.
Congresswoman Schakowsky. Can I say something about that?
Leader Pelosi. Please.
Congresswoman Schakowsky. I'm a Member…
Leader Pelosi. Now by the way, Congresswoman Eshoo, excuse me, Congresswoman Schakowsky, Congresswoman Eshoo, Congressman Tonko, and who else here? [Congressman] Sarbanes, they're all members of the Energy and Commerce committee which is also a committee of jurisdiction.
Congresswoman Schakowsky. Right, and some of us, including Anna, are on the Health subcommittee. You know it's as if the President and Paul Ryan went to some of the Republicans, the Freedom Caucus saying "We can still make this worse!" Now let's remember that that only seventeen percent of the people in the United States approved of the last version, and one of the hallmarks of Obamacare has been eliminating the jeopardy of having a preexisting condition. This version actually reinstates preexisting conditions so that they can go after sick people and charge them more or deny them health care altogether. It's really astonishing in that they might think that this would actually now gain the votes and the support of the American people? No way.
Leader Pelosi. And let me just say that our Members will continue to be having town hall meetings, roundtables, I just had a roundtable in New Orleans on Saturday with Mayor Landrieu there and the people who came to testify told us that the Affordable Care Act saved their lives. They put it in those stark of terms. So the public knows what this means to them and while Congresswoman Schakowsky said 17 of the American people support the bill only 12 percent of the American people said it would help them so as was said by Richie, by all of the Members in all of our meetings they had a terrible bill that only 17 percent of the public supported and then they went and made it worse by eliminating the federal rule in the essential benefit package. So what they did was they told the American people, and many people marched, the day after the Inauguration marched for Protect Our Care, they marched for other reasons as well, but some of that was spontaneous on the subject of protect our care. What they saw in the bills was this big disagreement because their bill would raise the cost, have an age tax, throw 24, 24 million fewer people would have access to health care, and they would mess with Medicare. That was bad enough, 17 percent of the people, then they went to the essential package piece of it and they said maternity care, children, all kinds of other things that made matters worse. So they said, the American people, we don't, the American people were saying back we not only disagree with your legislation, you don't agree with our values. And it made matters very worse for them.
But understand this is part of the deconstructionist government. They have a health bill described as a, a tax bill disguised as a health care bill with the biggest transfer of wealth, so all the things I've mentioned, increased payments, knock off people because of a preexisting condition, all the things that were mentioned, all of this to give a tax break to the richest people in our country, transfer of 6 or 7 depending on which version of their bill, six or seven hundred billion dollars out of the pockets of working families in our country into the pockets of the richest people in our country and that is who the Republicans are. They're for trickle down, put all the money at the top and good things will happen for you and if it does that would be good if it doesn't so be it. That's the free market. The free market? The free market? When they put their hand in the pocket of working families. So we, you, needless to say we will have a lot of spontaneous, energy out there participating with our town meetings and the rest, calling Members to be sure they know.
But I have to thank the Republicans because you know what? A few months ago before this all started the Affordable Care Act was like at 42 percent favorable to 52 negative because of the misrepresentation the Republicans put out there. The Gallup poll from yesterday has it at 55 positive on the Affordable Care Act, 42 negative. It's completely reversed as people understand what it means to them in their lives. They understand that the Republicans are not acting in their interest. So again, we welcome the break and there will be a lot of activism about doing the right thing for our country, telling the truth, holding the President to a standard that every President and every nominee of a party has been held to. He holds himself to a low standard, he makes a mockery of people who are serving in government to do his bidding and make excuses for him. How long does that last? I don't know. Thank you all very much.
# # #