New York’s top lawyer told a Washington judge that he shouldn’t be the one hearing President Donald Trump’s suit to block the state from handing his tax records to Congressional Democrats.
In papers filed Friday with U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols, Attorney General Letitia James said the federal court in Washington doesn’t have jurisdiction to consider the president’s challenge to a state law making those records available to certain congressional committees.
“Mr. Trump fails to allege any facts to support the Court’s exercise of general jurisdiction over the New York Defendants,” Special Litigation Counsel Andrew Amer said in a court filing. “They are nonresidents outside the reach of this Court’s general jurisdiction.”
Trump’s lawyers argue that New York enacted the TRUST Act last month to punish him for his speech and political views in violation of the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment. Trump has also sued the House Ways and Means Committee, which hasn’t yet requested the information from New York.
Nichols ordered the state to file a brief after brokering a deal in which New York would wait a week after his ruling to turn over the records. He also ordered the state’s lawyers to tell him if the committee asked for them.
Trump’s response to the state’s motion is due on August 19. Nichols will hear arguments on Aug. 29.
