With a series of oral arguments from March and April already delayed due to health concerns surrounding the Coronavirus, the U.S. Supreme Court announced on Monday that the Justices would hear some cases in the month of May by telephone, including a major legal battle over subpoenas for President Donald Trump's tax and business records.
In a statement issued by the High Court, the Justices set six dates in May for telephone arguments, and left open the possibility of an extraordinary live audio feed for the news media.
"In keeping with public health guidance in response to COVID-19, the Justices and counsel will all participate remotely," the Supreme Court announced.
"The Court anticipates providing a live audio feed of these arguments to news media. Details will be shared as they become available," the Court's statement said.
This is the third time in U.S. history the Supreme Court has had to delay arguments because of a health crisis, first in the late 1700's because of yellow fever, and then for a month in the fall of 1918 due to the flu pandemic.
The legal challenges over the President's business and tax records come both from Congress, and from investigators in New York City.
A House panel sent subpoenas to the President's accounting firm, Mazar's, and to Deutsche Bank and Capitol One for the information - President Trump's lawyers have lost at every level in both state and federal courts in their bid to squelch the subpoenas.
"The Committees’ interests in pursuing their constitutional legislative function is a far more significant public interest than whatever public interest inheres in avoiding the risk of a Chief Executive’s distraction arising from disclosure of documents reflecting his private financial transactions," the Second Circuit Court of Appeals panel wrote in a decision from November of 2019 regarding the banks involved in the case.
The Second Circuit also upheld the subpoena to Mr. Trump's accounting firm.
This will be the very first time the U.S. Supreme Court has taken oral arguments by phone.
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