The US Supreme Court said Monday it will hear arguments in May over whether President Donald Trump can continue to refuse to hand over his tax returns to Congress and New York prosecutors. The nation's highest court had been scheduled to hear arguments in the case on March 31 but they were delayed by the coronavirus pandemic. The court said it would hear the tax case by teleconference in May, a move which could allow it to deliver a ruling before the November presidential election. Trump broke with presidential norms during the 2016 election by refusing to release his tax returns as most presidents have done since the 1970s even though it is not required by law. The New York real estate tycoon claimed his tax returns were under audit by the Internal Revenue Service and he would release them when the audit was done but he has never done so. A committee in the Democratic-majority House of Representatives has issued a subpoena for Trump's tax returns and they are also being sought by a Democratic prosecutor in New York. Trump's lawyers sought to block their release and the consolidated cases will be heard by the Supreme Court next month. chp/cl/ft