State Democrats #Resist with bills to require Trump tax return disclosures
Despite state Republicans’ efforts to criminalize peaceful protests in the wake of Trump’s election, American voters in almost every state took to the streets last Saturday in a “Tax March” to demand President Trump release his tax returns. While Trump continues to deny that the majority of Americans want to see where and with whom the self-proclaimed billionaire is doing business, Democrats in statehouses nationwide are fighting for transparency with legislation that will force Trump to disclose his tax returns ahead of 2020.
As of last week, Democratic state legislators in 26 states have introduced a total of 50 bills that will require Trump (or any other presidential candidate) to publicly disclose his tax returns to appear on the ballot in 2020. While Republicans on the Hill continue to thwart congressional Democrats’ attempts to reveal Trump’s returns, state Democrats are once again leading the resistance.
HIGHLIGHTS:
GA: DLCC Board member and Georgia state House Democratic Leader Stacey Abrams sponsored HB 640
IL: DLCC Secretary and Illinois state House Deputy Majority Leader Lou Lang cosponsored HB 780
IA: Democratic Iowa state Senator Janet Petersen sponsored SF 159
MI: DLCC Board member and state Senate Democratic Leader Jim Ananich cosponsored SB 216 and SCR 13
MN: First-term Democratic state Representative Ilhan Omar sponsored HF 931
OR: Oregon state House Majority Leader Jennifer Williamson sponsored SB 888
The popularity and rapidity in which these policies have diffused across state lines is a testament to Democratic legislators’ dedication to carrying out the resistance against Trump and the GOP at the state level. Bills that would effectively prevent Trump from mounting an effective re-election campaign without first releasing his tax returns are not only popping up in Democratic strongholds like California and Hawaii, but in states that Trump carried in 2016 such as North Carolina and Ohio. As state Democrats continue to safeguard progressive achievements on issues like health care, reproductive rights, and more, DLCC stands with our legislators as they lead the first line of defense against Trumpism.
For full coverage, check out this piece from The Huffington Post.
