It always seemed preposterous to me that anyone would have any expectation of "confidentiality" when they submit a tax return to a massive Federal bureaucracy like the IRS. Between electronic record-keeping, the evolving skills of hackers, and the criminal element within the IRS itself, I would assume that everything on my tax return is going to be printed on the front page of the New York Times tomorrow.
Vance and his corrupt cohorts what to go on a fishing expedition through the financial records allegedly looking for how the “hush” money was charged to the corporate accounts. Even if he finds it is charged to the business records as an expense, it would be ridicules to consider that a criminal tax charge in NY inasmuch as Trump is as much a franchise name as it is real estate business. Therefore, protecting that name is important from a business point of view IMO. Of course as the author suggests, having the records to peruse for an unlimited amount of time looking for something to damage someone is not the intent of any subpeona. That is the crux of what Vance is up to here.
My feelings on this issue, the country has far too many attorneys. Refreshing that Trump was not one of the leeches.
Perhaps this enumerated (8) Right is the reason that we have been lulled into a false sense of privacy, coming directly from the IRS website?
The Right to Confidentiality Taxpayers have the right to expect that any information they provide to the IRS will not be disclosed unless authorized by the taxpayer or by law. Taxpayers have the right to expect appropriate action will be taken against employees, return preparers, and others who wrongfully use or disclose taxpayer return information.
Hope springs eternal.