AP Courtside: Justices eye past presidents in Trump tax case

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is holding its second week of arguments by telephone because of the coronavirus pandemic, hearing cases about President Donald Trump's tax records, with audio available live to audiences around the world.

The court has heard four days of arguments that had been postponed because of the virus outbreak and has two more days to go. Decisions are expected by early summer.

Some observations, trivia and analysis from our Supreme Court reporters (all times local):

10:40 a.m.

Financial records involving President Donald Trump are at issue in the cases the Supreme Court is hearing in telephone arguments. But some of the justices are bringing up past presidents.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor on Tuesday told Trump lawyer Patrick Strawbridge: “Counsel, there is a long, long history of Congress seeking records and getting them ... from presidents."

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Justice Steven Breyer have brought up requests for documents during Watergate and Whitewater. Justice Elena Kagan says in the past Congress and the president have been able to come to agreements.

Trump is asking the justices to put an end to subpoenas issued by congressional committees and the Manhattan district attorney for tax, bank and other financial records. Rulings against the president could result in the release of information during Trump’s campaign for reelection.

The court is hearing the arguments by phone because of the coronavirus pandemic. Live audio is available.

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10 a.m.

The Supreme Court has started Day Five of the arguments it’s hearing by telephone because of the coronavirus pandemic, this time regarding President Donald Trump's tax records.

The court is taking up the biggest cases of its phone arguments. Trump is asking the justices to put an...