Appeals court denies Trump bid to delay release of tax returns to House committee

A federal appeals court panel on Thursday rejected a bid from former President Donald Trump to delay the release of his tax returns to a House committee.

The panel of three judges from the DC Circuit Court of Appeals decided against delaying the House Ways and Means Committee's receipt of Trump's financial documents, though Trump may still appeal to the Supreme Court, per CNN.

Trump "tried to delay the inevitable, but once again, the Court has affirmed the strength of our position," said committee chair Rep. Richard Neal, D-Mass., per the outlet. "We've waited long enough – we must begin our oversight of the IRS's mandatory presidential audit program as soon as possible." 

Trump declined to release his tax returns during either his 2016 or 2020 presidential campaigns while House Democrats have long sought to obtain his records.

Should the Supreme Court intervene to delay the handover, the lower chamber may not receive them until after the next Congress is sworn in.