Judge grants Democrats' quest for Trump's financial records

Federal Judge Amit P. Mehta, based in Washington, DC, has sided with the House Oversight Committee in its attempt to get President Trump's financial records from his accounting firm, Mazars USA.    Mazars had originally said it would comply, but then the Trump Organization sued to prevent them from turning over the records.    Judge Mehta's decision was the resolution of that dispute.

This is being seen as "a major ruling that breathes new life into Democrats' ongoing efforts to probe the president's financial dealings," in the words of reporter Gregg Re writing for Fox News.

The subpoena for the financial records was prompted by Trump's personal lawyer Michael Cohen's testimony to Congress that the president "routinely and improperly altered financial statements."

Mehta's 41 page opinion acknowledged that he was "well aware that this case involves records concerning the private and business affairs of the President of the United States."    He also wrote that the Democrats' subpoena fell within well-established congressional investigative powers and that he would not stay his ruling pending appeal.

Mehta wrote further:   "It is simply not fathomable that a Constitution that grants Congress the power to remove a President for reasons including criminal behavior would deny Congress the power to investigate him for unlawful conduct -- past or present -- even without formally opening an impeachment inquiry."

[That last sentence is worth re-reading and thinking about.  In one sentence, it simply destroys the Trump argument that Congress has no proper legislative purpose in requesting documents and witness testimony.]

This is an important win in court for the Democrats.   Add this to the weekend news that a Republican congressman, Justin Amash (R-MI), has taken a principled stand, saying that, in his reading of the Mueller report, he concludes that the president's has engaged in actions and patterns of behavior that rise to the threshold of impeachment.

These two developments suddenly change the discouraged, dead-end feeling that was setting in, as the Trump administration's complete stonewalling of any investigative requests:   documents, witness interviews, subpoenas.

Now, if the Democrats will find their courage and their principles -- and stop thinking so narrowly about the political risks, it's time to begin.

Ralph