A federal appeals court blocked the release of Donald Trump’s tax records as the President’s lawyers continue to challenge a New York prosecutor’s subpoena seeking the records.
Mr Trump’s legal team asked for a temporary stay while they appeal a lower-court ruling that granted Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr.’s office access to Trump’s tax returns. A lawyer for Vance’s office had argued that further delays would only impede their investigation.
“The question at this juncture is quite simple but also quite important,” Trump lawyer William Consovoy said. “Will the president be given an opportunity to appeal that ruling before his personal records are disclosed to the grand jury and the status quo is irrevocably changed?”
The three-judge panel ruled after hearing brief arguments from both sides.
Trump lawyer Jay Sekulow said they were pleased with the ruling. A message seeking comment was left with Vance’s spokesperson.
A hearing on the merits of Trump’s latest appeal will be held on Sept. 25 after both sides agreed to an expedited schedule.
Trump’s lawyers appealed to the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last month after a district court judge rejected their renewed efforts to invalidate a subpoena issued to his accounting firm.
Judge John M. Walker Jr. said at Tuesday’s hearing that the subpoenas cover 11 entities engaged in business dealings as far away as Europe and Dubai.
Trump has blasted the long-running quest for his financial records as a “continuation of the most disgusting witch hunt in the history of our country” and predicted the case would again end up before the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court ruled last month that the presidency in itself doesn’t shield Trump from Vance’s investigation, but the high court returned the case to U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero’s courtroom to allow Trump’s lawyers to raise other concerns about the subpoena.
Mr Trump is the only modern president who has refused to release his tax returns. Before he was elected, he had promised to do so.
Congress is also pursuing Trump’s financial records, though the Supreme Court last month kept a hold on the banking and other documents that Congress has been seeking and returned the case to a lower court.
With reporting by Associated Press
