Trump blames Cuomo for 'fascist witch-hunt' into his tax returns after SCOTUS ruling

The former president likened the investigation to “fascism” in third world countries

Donald Trump claims the Manhattan District Attorney's efforts to obtain his tax returns is the "greatest political Witch Hunt in the history of our County."

Cy Vance, the Manhattan District Attorney, has been investigating potential financial crimes committed by the Trump Organisation. Specifically, the investigators are trying to determine whether or not the Trump Organisation artificially inflates the values of its properties to secure loans.

Mr Trump claimed that Mr Vance was just focusing on him to advance his career and accused New York City Governor Andrew Cuomo of inspiring the investigation.

"The new phenomenon of headhunting prosecutors and AGs - who try to take down their political opponents using the law as a weapon - is a threat to the very foundation of our liberty," Mr Trump wrote. "That's what is done in third world countries."

He then called the investigation fascist.

"Even worse are those who run for prosecutorial or attorney general offices in far-left states and jurisdictions pledging to take out a political opponent. That's fascism, not justice - and that is exactly what they are trying to do with respect to me, except that the people of our Country won't stand for it," he wrote.

Mr Trump was impeached for a historic second time, accused by Democrats of inspiring the Capitol insurrection on 6 January.

The US Supreme Court ruled Monday that Mr Trump could not block the release of his tax returns to Mr Vance.The former president also used the statement to continue peddling lies about the election. He said the Democrats were trying to do “anything to stop the almost 75 million people (the most votes, by far, ever gotten by a sitting president) who voted for me in the election - an election which many people, and experts, feel that I won. I agree!”

Mr Trump complained that there were other issues demanding attention in New York.

"In the meantime, murders and violent crime are up in New York City by record numbers, and nothing is done about it," he said. "Our elected officials don't care. All they focus on is the persecution of President Donald J Trump."