Supreme Court is still sitting on Trump's tax returns, and justices aren't saying why - CNNPolitics

The norm in criminal investigations is that federal courts keep hands off state prosecutors absent compelling evidence of bad faith.  Last year in the Trump tax return cases Trump "lost" at each step up to the Supreme Court which also refused to block the Grand Jury subpoena by the Manhattan District Attorney.  So Trump tried a last ditch `1983' civil rights action to block the subpoena.  The case was quickly dismissed in the District Court, soon affirmed by the Second Circuit.  But that court gave Trump time to file an expedited petition to the Supreme Court which generally acts quickly.  The Manhattan District Attorney - Cyrus Vance, Jr. - agreed not to enforce while the Supreme Court application was pending.  No good deed goes unpunished.  Instead of the usual prompt denial of such a claim the high court has sat on the matter, raising unanswerable questions about why the now former President is not being treated like any other citizen as John Roberts majority opinion said he is. - GWC

Supreme Court is still sitting on Trump's tax returns, and justices aren't saying why - CNNPolitics

By Joan Biskupic

CNN)Lawsuits involving Donald Trump tore apart the Supreme Court while he was president, and the justices apparently remain riven by him.

For nearly four months, the court has refused to act on emergency filings related to a Manhattan grand jury's subpoena of Trump tax returns, effectively thwarting part of the investigation.

The Supreme Court's inaction marks an extraordinary departure from its usual practice of timely responses when the justices are asked to block a lower court decision on an emergency basis and has spurred questions about what is happening behind the scenes.

Chief Justice John Roberts, based on his past pattern, may be trying to appease dueling factions among the nine justices, to avoid an order that reinforces a look of partisan politics. Yet paradoxically, the unexplained delay smacks of politics and appears to ensnarl the justices even more in the controversies of Trump.

The Manhattan investigation, led by District Attorney Cyrus Vance, continues to draw extensive public attention. The grand jury is seeking Trump personal and business records back to 2011. Part of the probe involves hush-money payments Trump lawyer Michael Cohen made to cover up alleged affairs. (Trump has denied those allegations.)