00:00I imagine you have the Justice Department phone number.
00:03I would suggest you call that.
00:04I'm not the one that runs the Department of the Treasury or that oversees what is happening with this immunity
00:11that has been granted.
00:13I'm not the one either.
00:14We follow the instructions of our lawyers and we obey the law, Representative.
00:19I hope that you're proud of your performance today, Mr. Secretary.
00:22Well, I hope you get some social media clips.
00:23I think it's pretty safe to say that this is probably the most corrupt Treasury Department in our nation's history.
00:30Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
00:31Secretary, nice to have you back before our committee.
00:34Mr. Secretary, do you believe that all Americans should follow our tax laws?
00:41Yes, Congress.
00:42Yes, good. So do I.
00:43And do you believe that for those Americans who break our tax laws, they should be audited or held accountable?
00:50Well, I think there are two things there.
00:52An audit is not a result of breaking the law.
00:56Yes or no?
00:58Simple question.
00:59Well, no, it's not a simple question.
01:00It's a two-part question.
01:01Okay, then let me break it into two.
01:02If you're asking me, should every taxpayer be audited?
01:03If you're asking me, should every taxpayer be audited?
01:05Please answer that.
01:06I came here for answers.
01:08If you came here to waste time, I'm going to try to make sure you don't do that.
01:12Do you believe that people who lie on their tax returns should be audited?
01:18Yes.
01:19Okay, do you think that people who break our laws should be held accountable?
01:22Our tax laws?
01:23Yes.
01:24Okay, thank you.
01:25Very simple.
01:25Not a hard question.
01:27I'm glad we agree.
01:28So why is it that you are allowing President Trump to have complete immunity from being audited?
01:35Again, I'm going to have to refer you to my previous statement.
01:38What was your previous statement, sir?
01:41I am unable to comment on any of the ongoing litigation.
01:45Okay, can you name the ongoing case concerning President Trump's immunity from audit?
01:50Sorry?
01:51Can you name?
01:52There are three cases.
01:54Can you name them, please?
01:55That are out there now, and I will be happy to get them back, get back to you on those
01:59because, again, I am not a lawyer.
02:01We are represented by the DOJ.
02:05Great.
02:05You said that you can't because there's ongoing litigation.
02:07You'll get me the name of the ongoing litigation because the only ongoing litigation that I know
02:14of is surrounding the $1.8 million slush fund, which has already been suspended.
02:22The fact is that the judge's ruling in the litigation that references that slush fund only
02:29addresses the anti-weaponization fund.
02:32It doesn't even address Trump's immunity from audit.
02:36So I would like to ask unanimous consent to enter into the record the judge's order
02:41in the Floyd v. Department of Justice case.
02:44Without objection.
02:46Now, Secretary, you said you're not an attorney.
02:48Is that correct?
02:49Mercifully.
02:50Okay.
02:51Well, I am, and I'm actually proud to be an attorney and know the laws, and I know how
02:55to read a judicial ruling.
02:57Furthermore, I know that since 1962, the Supreme Court has held that ongoing litigation does
03:04not prevent someone from testifying in a congressional hearing.
03:08So once again, I'm going to ask, why are you allowing President Trump and his family to
03:14have complete immunity from being audited?
03:18Again, since you're a lawyer, you will understand that the U.S. Treasury and the IRS are represented
03:24by the Justice Department and the acting attorney general.
03:27Yes, but I just mentioned a Supreme Court case that doesn't bar you from testifying.
03:32It's pretty clear to me, though, however, that you're not interested in answering questions.
03:37You're interested in arguing.
03:39Let me ask you this question.
03:41If President Biden amended a prior tax return and claimed that he was owed $1 billion, do
03:47you think that that would be audited or should it be audited?
03:50I'm not going to talk about any, any.
03:55Because you're not really here to answer questions.
03:57I don't understand why you wouldn't audit that, and I don't understand why you wouldn't do the
04:03same for President Trump.
04:05So the ruling, the ruling by the Justice Department, excuse me.
04:11Do you have specific knowledge of an audit of President Trump?
04:12Excuse me.
04:14It's my time.
04:15Do you have specific knowledge?
04:15You're not here to ask me questions.
04:17I'm here to ask you questions.
04:18And hopefully you're here to try to answer some of them.
04:21I'm curious to know who counts as Trump's family for the purposes of this immunity.
04:27Is it his children, his in-laws, his grandchildren, his second or third cousin, his great-great-grandchildren?
04:37Do you know the answer to that question, Mr. Secretary?
04:39Again, I imagine you have the Justice Department phone number.
04:43I would suggest you call that.
04:45I'm not the one that runs the Department of the Treasury or that oversees what is happening
04:50with this immunity that has been granted.
04:53I'm not the one either.
04:54We follow the instructions of our lawyers and we obey the law, Representative.
04:59I hope that you're proud of your performance today, Mr. Secretary, because I think it's
05:03pretty safe to say that this is probably the most corrupt Treasury Department in our nation's
05:10history.
05:10I am going to have to take exception to protect Trump.
05:16Americans are suffering in Trump's spiraling economy.
05:19Inflation is now rising faster than average hourly wages.
05:24Gas prices are at an all-time high with the war in Iran.
05:28The cost of groceries has risen 3.2% over the past years.
05:32And prices on most goods have gone up because of Trump's tariffs.
05:35So I don't see how you could call that anything other than a failure of the most corrupt Treasury
05:40Department in history.
05:42Your time has expired, Ms. Sanchez.
05:44My time has expired.
05:46Secretary, I would love for you to respond to the accusations at your department because
05:52I think you were due the opportunity for that.
05:55The Congresswoman is slanderous.
05:59She has nothing but the unsubstantiated opinions.
06:05And I will not stand for that.
06:08There is nothing corrupt.
06:10We move at the highest levels.
06:14And just because she cannot get the answer she wants, if she would like to give me facts,
06:19she seems long on facts, short on facts, long on hot air.
06:25And I will not stand for that.
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