Major State Passes Law To Keep Trump Off Ballot Unless He Releases Tax Returns
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California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a bill that would require all presidential and gubernatorial candidates to submit five years of tax returns in order to qualify for the primary ballot in California.
In other words, if President Donald Trump does not release his tax returns, he will not be on the Republican primary ballot in California for the 2020 presidential election.
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Newsom is well-aware that the partisan bill is aimed at Trump and thwarting his 2020 re-election chances.
“As one of the largest economies in the world and home to one in nine Americans eligible to vote, California has a special responsibility to require this information of presidential and gubernatorial candidates,” Newsom said in a statement.
He added: “These are extraordinary times and states have a legal and moral duty to do everything in their power to ensure leaders seeking the highest offices meet minimal standards, and to restore public confidence. The disclosure required by this bill will shed light on conflicts of interest, self-dealing, or influence from domestic and foreign business interest.”
The law will more than likely be challenged in the courts under the argument that it violates Trump's First Amendment right of association and infringes on the U.S. Constitution’s power to delineate the requirements for presidential candidates.
California trying to keep Trump off the 2020 ballot unless he releases his tax returns comes a few months after another swing state may be in jeopardy in the presidential election.
In May, a panel of federal judges ordered Michigan’s Republican-controlled legislature to redraw more than three dozen state and U.S. congressional districts before the 2020 presidential election.
The ruling is undoubtedly a big win for Democrats and could have a major impact on the upcoming elections.
The panel of judges gave Republicans until Aug. 1 to approve the district maps, which must be signed by Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
If lawmakers fail to redraw the maps and get them signed by the Democratic governor, the judges said they will draw the new congressional maps themselves.
A panel of three judges said that 27 of 34 challenged districts diluted the weight of people's votes and that every challenged district is unconstitutional.
Republicans who are involved in the case argued that the proceeding should be halted until the U.S. Supreme Court rules on redistricting cases from North Carolina and Maryland.
But more importantly, this ruling is undoubtedly a big win for Democrats and could have a major impact on the 2020 presidential election, especially given Trump won Michigan in 2016.
These are just the latest efforts taken by Democrats just before the presidential election.
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