Trump's Jan. 6 lawsuit could backfire bigly — as House cites judge's ruling in tax-return case

Former president's Donald Trump's lawsuit aimed at keeping Jan. 6 records secret could come back to haunt him in another case involving a House committee's longstanding effort to access his tax-returns.

In a court notice filed Saturday, the House Committee on Ways and Means – which is seeking access to Trump's tax returns — cited a judge's ruling this week in the Jan. 6 case rejecting the former president's assertion that the congressional investigation doesn't serve a "legitimate legislative purpose."

"In analyzing whether a Congressional request serves a valid legislative purpose, the court stated that it 'must be highly deferential to the legislative branch,' and that 'it is not the court's role to decide whether Congress is motivated to aid legislation or exact political retribution; rather, the key factor is whether there is some discernable legislative purpose,'" according to the notice. "Moreover, the court held that Mr. Trump's 'status as a former President, and the fact that the legislative and executive branches agree that the records should be produced, reduces the import of the test.'"

Politico reporter Kyle Cheney said on Twitter that the use of the Jan. 6 ruling against Trump in the tax-return lawsuit appears to be a case of "unintended consequences."

"The House is flagging its victory in this week's Trump executive privilege ruling in its separate, long-running legal effort to obtain Trump's tax returns," Cheney wrote. "In other words, Trump suing to block the Jan. 6 committee could end up producing rulings that bolster the House's effort to get his financial records."