CA passes bill requiring presidential candidates to release tax returns

[Possiblymaybe]

California legislature passes bill requiring presidential candidates to release tax returns


The California State Assembly on Thursday passed a bill that would require all presidential candidates to release their tax returns prior to being placed on the state’s ballot.

The bill, called the Presidential Tax Transparency and Accountability Act, passed the state assembly on a 42-18 vote and will now head to the state Senate for a concurrence vote before being sent to the Governor for his signature.

“President Trump’s blatant disregard for the tradition of releasing tax returns is dangerous to our democracy,” Senator Mike McGuire (D), one of the authors of the bill, said in a statement. “For decades, every President has put their personal beliefs aside and put our country first and released their returns. “
“SB 149 helps to reestablish desperately needed transparency in the White House, and we are looking forward to seeing the Governor’s signature on the bill.”


The bill would require all presidential candidates to release the last five years of their tax returns in order to appear on the California ballot.

The tax returns would be made available to the public on the California Secretary of State’s website.

Senator Scott Wiener (D), another author of the bill, said the bill is about “giving the American people the honesty and transparency they deserve.”


“As the months continue to go by in the disastrous Trump Administration and the investigations and conflicts of interest pile up, it becomes more and more clear how critical basic transparency is in how we elect our president,” he said in a statement.

Earlier this year, a New York state lawmaker introduced a similar bill that would force the state to publicly post the state tax returns of anyone elected in a statewide election to federal or state office.

Trump became the first presidential candidate in decades to not disclose his tax returns. He said during the campaign that he wouldn’t release them because of an IRS audit, but the IRS has said that audits don’t prevent people from releasing their own tax information.

http://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/350789-california-legislature-passes-bill-requiring-presidential-candidates-to

[Dr. Arch]

Good. Other states should follow suit.

[Gass3268]

As good as this sounds, this will probably be struck down as unconstitutional.

[MAINEiac4434]

As good as this sounds, this will probably be struck down as unconstitutional.

Yup. And there's no way around it. It's still a good idea, though.

[ProgressiveCanadian]

They did this but yet they refused to pass single payer for the state.

[60+ GOP Seats After 2018 GUARANTEED]

I noticed that people care about tax returns ONLY when they need ammo. When Perot was dominating the 1992 race in the summer Bush was doing everything he could to force him to release his tax returns for example.

The only reason people want to see Trump's tax returns is to attack him with it.

No one has given me one good reason to see Trump's tax returns.

If this is the case, then we should require voter ID for voting or require Goldman Sachs speech transcripts to be released.

This will get struck down as unconstitutional anyway, or Trump could just say he's "undocumented" lol.

[60+ GOP Seats After 2018 GUARANTEED]

Trump should say "I'll release my tax returns to be on the ballot if California lets me audit their voter rolls."

LOL! Owned.

Also, this is why the Electoral College in the USA makes sense - the states run the Presidential voting (to send electors). However, this is not only unconstitutional but ridiculous as well. Tax returns are not required and not even close. It's too much of a slippery slope as well.

[America Needs a 13-6 Progressive SCOTUS]

This is good.  We need more states to make laws like this.

Hopefully, as Democrats gain more control over state governments in the next 3 years, more and more states will pass these laws.

[60+ GOP Seats After 2018 GUARANTEED]

This is good.  We need more states to make laws like this.

Hopefully, as Democrats gain more control over state governments in the next 3 years, more and more states will pass these laws.

Unconstitutional laws?

Should we have it be required to release your medical/health information now? Hillary was in poor health and would always lie about it. Should be barred from the Texas ballot because she wouldn't release her medical history?

This obsession with tax returns is weird especially because you guys lie about them all the time.

California is also the last state that can complain about documents and taxes.

[MAINEiac4434]

This is good.  We need more states to make laws like this.

Hopefully, as Democrats gain more control over state governments in the next 3 years, more and more states will pass these laws.

Unconstitutional laws?

Should we have it be required to release your medical/health information now? Hillary was in poor health and would always lie about it. Should be barred from the Texas ballot because she wouldn't release her medical history?

This obsession with tax returns is weird especially because you guys lie about them all the time.

California is also the last state that can complain about documents and taxes.

[60+ GOP Seats After 2018 GUARANTEED]

Trump should say to California "I'll give you my tax returns if you let me audit your votes."

LOL owned.

No one has given me one good reason why Trump should release his tax returns.

[Mr. Smith]

Trump should say to California "I'll give you my tax returns if you let me audit your votes."

LOL owned.

No one has given me one good reason why Trump should release his tax returns.

What's he got to hide? Did he earn everything he got, or is he a crook after all? I mean, not even Nixon was that.

[60+ GOP Seats After 2018 GUARANTEED]

What's he got to hide? Did he earn everything he got, or is he a crook after all? I mean, not even Nixon was that.

Are you a crook?

Prove to me you're not one. Why didn't Obama show his long term birth certificate? You sound like a birther now.

Nixon was never a businessman either

Why did Hillary Clinton lie about her health? Why did Obama continuously lie about his history? If Trump has to release his tax returns then Obama should release his entire history regarding Bill Ayers, Tony Rezko, and Jeremiah Wright. Oh sorry, Obama didn't know about Wright even though he went to his church for 20 years LMAO!!

Tax returns are meaningless and prove nothing. They're there so they can be used as weapons against an opponent - like how Harry Reid said Romney didn't pay taxes for 10 years.

[Kyle Rittenhouse is a Political Prisoner]

What's he got to hide? Did he earn everything he got, or is he a crook after all? I mean, not even Nixon was that.

Are you a crook?

Prove to me you're not one. Why didn't Obama show his long term birth certificate? You sound like a birther now.

Nixon was never a businessman either

Why did Hillary Clinton lie about her health? Why did Obama continuously lie about his history? If Trump has to release his tax returns then Obama should release his entire history regarding Bill Ayers, Tony Rezko, and Jeremiah Wright. Oh sorry, Obama didn't know about Wright even though he went to his church for 20 years LMAO!!

Tax returns are meaningless and prove nothing. They're there so they can be used as weapons against an opponent - like how Harry Reid said Romney didn't pay taxes for 10 years.

Maybe having public officials keep common standards for transparency is important. Who knows? Certainly not you.

[60+ GOP Seats After 2018 GUARANTEED]

Maybe having public officials keep common standards for transparency is important. Who knows? Certainly not you.

Sounds like to me you guys are mad you lost, and now want to just outright try to prevent him on being on the ballot. Like Trump would say, you're bleeding from your nose, from your wherever....

This is why the electoral college is so important (and the real reason I am for it - I never bought the "it allows smaller states/rural areas to have more of a say" argument).

Transparency? You mean like how Hillary Clinton collapsed and was thrown into a van like a side of beef and tried to claim it was due to the heat (it was a scorching 74 degrees after all!) until the video showed her being thrown in so they were caught lying? That kind of transparency?

Obama has had a very strange and mysterious history and when Trump pointed that out the left screamed "RACIST!!!!"

His tax returns have nothing to do with "transparency" and you know it. Just like the vote recounts in Wisconsin had nothing to do with "election integrity."

I've noticed people on the Left always scream "This is what Democracy looks like!" or how much they love democracy until they lose. Then all of a sudden they try to do everything they can to throw out the results of the voters, and if they can't throw out the results, they then go to Plan B which is to outright bar the opposition to appear on the ballot.

[Mr. Reactionary]

If Arkansas is prohibited from imposing term limits on persons running for federal office, I don't see how California can impose reporting requirements on persons running for federal office. Oh well, at least lawyers will get a bunch of tax payer money out of this.

[The Mikado]

This is definitely getting struck down, but it's a nice PR move.

[Kyle Rittenhouse is a Political Prisoner]

Maybe having public officials keep common standards for transparency is important. Who knows? Certainly not you.

Sounds like to me you guys are mad you lost, and now want to just outright try to prevent him on being on the ballot. Like Trump would say, you're bleeding from your nose, from your wherever....

This is why the electoral college is so important (and the real reason I am for it - I never bought the "it allows smaller states/rural areas to have more of a say" argument).

Transparency? You mean like how Hillary Clinton collapsed and was thrown into a van like a side of beef and tried to claim it was due to the heat (it was a scorching 74 degrees after all!) until the video showed her being thrown in so they were caught lying? That kind of transparency?

Obama has had a very strange and mysterious history and when Trump pointed that out the left screamed "RACIST!!!!"

His tax returns have nothing to do with "transparency" and you know it. Just like the vote recounts in Wisconsin had nothing to do with "election integrity."

I've noticed people on the Left always scream "This is what Democracy looks like!" or how much they love democracy until they lose. Then all of a sudden they try to do everything they can to throw out the results of the voters, and if they can't throw out the results, they then go to Plan B which is to outright bar the opposition to appear on the ballot.

Thanks, comrade. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whataboutism

[60+ GOP Seats After 2018 GUARANTEED]

If Arkansas is prohibited from imposing term limits on persons running for federal office, I don't see how California can impose reporting requirements on persons running for federal office. Oh well, at least lawyers will get a bunch of tax payer money out of this.

Even if it were legal it's still wrong.

I'd be against it if they made reporting medical history or religious history to get on a ballot in Texas or Arizona.

Sounds like to me since they're pissed they lost, they are just going to outright ban the opposition. It's like a football team getting frustrated the other team is beating them by 6 touchdowns, so they injure the other team's star quarterback and defensive linemen.

This "tax return" obsession is also super weird, considering how it's only ever brought up when people want to attack Trump. If they were honest for why they want to see them (so they can attack Trump with every little loophole he uses) I could have more sympathy.

[60+ GOP Seats After 2018 GUARANTEED]

Maybe having public officials keep common standards for transparency is important. Who knows? Certainly not you.

Sounds like to me you guys are mad you lost, and now want to just outright try to prevent him on being on the ballot. Like Trump would say, you're bleeding from your nose, from your wherever....

This is why the electoral college is so important (and the real reason I am for it - I never bought the "it allows smaller states/rural areas to have more of a say" argument).

Transparency? You mean like how Hillary Clinton collapsed and was thrown into a van like a side of beef and tried to claim it was due to the heat (it was a scorching 74 degrees after all!) until the video showed her being thrown in so they were caught lying? That kind of transparency?

Obama has had a very strange and mysterious history and when Trump pointed that out the left screamed "RACIST!!!!"

His tax returns have nothing to do with "transparency" and you know it. Just like the vote recounts in Wisconsin had nothing to do with "election integrity."

I've noticed people on the Left always scream "This is what Democracy looks like!" or how much they love democracy until they lose. Then all of a sudden they try to do everything they can to throw out the results of the voters, and if they can't throw out the results, they then go to Plan B which is to outright bar the opposition to appear on the ballot.

Thanks, comrade. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whataboutism

Exactly - it's whataboutism when talking about tax returns. "What about Nixon?!"

"Whataboutism" is the new leftist/Correct the Record term to deflect criticism. Guess what - it doesn't work on me because I don't think there should be a medical or religious test to get on the ballot in red states.

Tax returns aren't constitutionally required or even implied. Which is funny because being a natural born citizen is and Democrats gave Trump a lot of criticism for questioning Obama's super sketchy history.

And speaking of Comrade, remember that the original party of Lenin was the Democratic Socialist party (sound familiar?) and North Korea is called the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

It's incredible how similar Republicans and Democrats reacted to Trump winning though. When Trump was kicking the GOP Establishment's ass they started whining and wanted to change the rules. The Democrats turned out to be the same.

Trump's victims hate the fact they're victims lol.

It's OK to be a victim, especially of Trump - you're just part of the club lol.

[America Needs a 13-6 Progressive SCOTUS]

Only an incompetent judge would strike this law down as unconstitutional by the way.

[60+ GOP Seats After 2018 GUARANTEED]

Only an incompetent judge would strike this law down as unconstitutional by he way.

So since you're mad you lost, your idea is just to ban the opposition from appearing on the ballot?

It's unconstitutional because tax returns aren't required to be President (by the way - being a natural born citizen is so you can't compare this to Trump's birtherism).

[Kyle Rittenhouse is a Political Prisoner]

Maybe having public officials keep common standards for transparency is important. Who knows? Certainly not you.

Sounds like to me you guys are mad you lost, and now want to just outright try to prevent him on being on the ballot. Like Trump would say, you're bleeding from your nose, from your wherever....

This is why the electoral college is so important (and the real reason I am for it - I never bought the "it allows smaller states/rural areas to have more of a say" argument).

Transparency? You mean like how Hillary Clinton collapsed and was thrown into a van like a side of beef and tried to claim it was due to the heat (it was a scorching 74 degrees after all!) until the video showed her being thrown in so they were caught lying? That kind of transparency?

Obama has had a very strange and mysterious history and when Trump pointed that out the left screamed "RACIST!!!!"

His tax returns have nothing to do with "transparency" and you know it. Just like the vote recounts in Wisconsin had nothing to do with "election integrity."

I've noticed people on the Left always scream "This is what Democracy looks like!" or how much they love democracy until they lose. Then all of a sudden they try to do everything they can to throw out the results of the voters, and if they can't throw out the results, they then go to Plan B which is to outright bar the opposition to appear on the ballot.

Thanks, comrade. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whataboutism

Exactly - it's whataboutism when talking about tax returns. "What about Nixon?!"

"Whataboutism" is the new leftist/Correct the Record term to deflect criticism. Guess what - it doesn't work on me because I don't think there should be a medical or religious test to get on the ballot in red states.

Tax returns aren't constitutionally required or even implied. Which is funny because being a natural born citizen is and Democrats gave Trump a lot of criticism for questioning Obama's super sketchy history.

And speaking of Comrade, remember that the original party of Lenin was the Democratic Socialist party (sound familiar?) and North Korea is called the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

It's incredible how similar Republicans and Democrats reacted to Trump winning though. When Trump was kicking the GOP Establishment's ass they started whining and wanted to change the rules. The Democrats turned out to be the same.

Trump's victims hate the fact they're victims lol.

It's OK to be a victim, especially of Trump - you're just part of the club lol.

Republicans are the RED party. So were Communists. Therefore, Trump's a commie.

[60+ GOP Seats After 2018 GUARANTEED]

Republicans are the RED party. So were Communists. Therefore, Trump's a commie.

If you can give me one good specific reason why Trump should be forced to release his taxes I'll agree with California over this.

"Transparency" isn't a reason - be more specific than that (as transparency doesn't matter to you).

[Rookie Yinzer]

I mean... ok. Trump is going to lose this state by 30 points anyway. Nice symbolism I guess.