Trump appeals order upholding House subpoena for his accounting firm’s records

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump's lawyers on Tuesday notified a federal judge that they have appealed "all aspects" of his Monday ruling that the president's accounting firm must turn over his financial records to Congress.

The two-page notice filed in federal court marks the latest move in a gathering legal battle over Congress's oversight powers.

"Plaintiffs ... hereby appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit all aspects of this Court's order and opinion from May 20, 2019," stated lawyers for Trump, the Trump Organization and several related companies in the notice to U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta.

Mehta in a 41-page ruling Monday flatly rejected arguments from the president's lawyers that the House Oversight Committee's demands for the records from Trump's accounting firm, Mazars USA, were overly broad and served no legitimate legislative function.

"It is simply not fathomable," the judge wrote, "that a Constitution that grants Congress the power to remove a President for reasons including criminal behavior would deny Congress the power to investigate him for unlawful conduct - past or present - even without formally opening an impeachment inquiry."

Mehta denied Trump's bid to block the subpoena while litigation continues, and went further, rendering a final decision on the lawsuit, filed April 22, to speed its consideration by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.

Mehta had refused to stay his order beyond seven days to allow time for an appeal, but Trump’s lawyers acted within hours. Speaking to reporters on Monday minutes after the ruling, Trump himself called the opinion “crazy” and said he would appeal, adding: “We think it’s totally the wrong decision by, obviously, an Obama-appointed judge.”