Supreme Court chief justice issues temporary stay blocking release of Trump’s tax returns

Responding to Donald Trump’s “emergency” petition to block the House Ways and Means Committee from obtaining his tax returns, U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts has issued a temporary stay, or hold, on a lower court’s ruling.

Called an “administrative stay,” it blocks any action – meaning, the release of his tax returns – until the Chief Justice or the full court weighs in on the issue.

In his emergency motion, Trump strongly suggested the Court not only block release of his returns, but take up a full review of his case, placing it ion the court’s docket and set a date for oral arguments. Were the court to agree, Trump would be protected for at least months, likely long enough for the GOP, should it win control of the House, to drop its review of his tax returns.

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The administrative stay is not unusual, nor does it suggest one way or the other what action, if any, the court will take.