Rep. Neal: Ways And Means Committee Wants To Speak To Trump Tax Whistleblower

Massachusetts U.S. Rep. Richard Neal said the House Ways and Means Committee is looking to interview a whistleblower who alleges "inappropriate attempts to influence" a tax audit of President Trump.

In an Aug. 8 letter to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Neal, a Democrat, said the Ways and Means Committee he chairs received an "unsolicited communication" from a federal employee in late July.

Neal is not offering much else about the employee's complaint. Neal said he's not sure how it might affect his lawsuit to get the IRS to release Trump's tax returns.

"It's hard to say at this point, because as it makes its way through the federal court system, there will be opportunities to, I think, make that assessment, perhaps a little bit later," Neal said Tuesday at an appearance in Springfield.

Neal said it will be up to House legal counsel whether to release this latest whistleblower complaint.

The congressman was also asked if the quest for Trump's taxes might intersect with the impeachment inquiry.

"That's hard to speculate about," Neal said. "I think that certainly you believe as we go down this road, that the inquiry could entail a lot of different things. You can see, I'm very guarded about what I have to say because this is an active court case."

Neal told reporters that the case has been prepared "methodically, carefully and judiciously."

After House Speaker Nancy Pelosi a week ago announced the beginning of a formal impeachment inquiry, Neal joined Massachusetts colleagues in supporting the probe.

This story was first published by New England Public Radio, in Springfield. It contains additional reporting by WBUR.