Trump loses legal battle over tax returns after judge orders accounting firm to turn over documents

A federal judge rejected an unusual challenge from President Donald Trump and ordered his accounting firm to turn over his corporate and personal tax returns dating back nearly a decade.

The Justice Department came to the president's aid last week and asked the judge to block a subpoena for the records until a court could consider constitutional issues in the case, and Trump's attorney basically demanded the judge rule early Monday morning, reported the New York Times.

“After 9 a.m.,” Trump’s lawyer wrote, “the president will not have enough time to seek relief from the Second Circuit before (accounting firm) Mazars discloses his confidential information.”

Judge Victor Marrero rejected the president's argument just minutes ahead of that deadline, allowing Manhattan prosecutors to subpoena Trump tax returns dating back to 2011.

Manhattan district attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. has been investigating whether Trump broke New York tax laws by reimbursing his former personal layer Michael Cohen for payoffs to porn actress Story Daniels just weeks before the 2016 election.