The Supreme Court granted President Trump’s request that a temporary hold be placed on the House Oversight Committee’s access to his financial records.
The top United States court announced on Monday an emergency stay until the justices decide whether to take up the president’s appeals case, blocking House Democrats from enforcing a subpoena for his tax records that had been upheld by a lower court last month.
Trump’s attorneys agreed to an expedited review of a lower court ruling granting access, but the Supreme Court’s move comes as a win for the president in his efforts to conceal the records from the public. There were no noted dissents in the Monday decision, and the justices set up a briefing schedule to hear arguments from both sides on whether they should hear Trump’s appeal this term.
While the court did not explain its reasoning, the move signals that it will likely take up the case. A ruling, however, would not be expected until mid-January, meaning the tax returns may not play a role in the House’s impeachment proceedings if lawmakers plan to vote before the end of the year.
The subpoena was issued in April, months before the impeachment process began. The president requested that the Supreme Court take up his appeal earlier this month.
Trump must now file his appeal of the lower court ruling on or before Dec. 5.
