Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Trump must release tax returns or be barred from California 2020 election ballot, state senate votes

US president broke 40-year tradition when he refused in 2016

Chiara Giordano
Friday 03 May 2019 13:54 BST
Comments
US attorney general: 'Special counsel confirmed Russian government sponsored efforts to illegally interfere with 2016 election'

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

US president Donald Trump will have to release five years’ worth of income tax returns or risk being struck off the California 2020 presidential ballot, the state’s senate has ruled.

A bill introducing the measure was passed by a 27-10 vote, but it will have to be approved to become law.

It comes in response to Mr Trump’s refusal to release his tax returns prior to the 2016 election – despite presidential candidates traditionally doing so for 40 years.

The president has claimed he cannot release the documents because they are until audit, however technically there is nothing to stop him from doing so.

Senator Mike McGuire, a Democrat, who co-authored the bill, told the Associated Press that Mr Trump should release his tax returns “if he truly doesn’t have anything to hide”.

All 10 Republicans in the state Senate voted against passing the bill.

Republican senator Brain Jones told AP that he understood how “playing the resistance card” might be good politics for the majority party but that it was “bad policy for Californians”.

The state’s legislature passed a similar bill in 2017, but then-governor Jerry Brown, a Democrat, who did not release his own tax returns, vetoed the bill.

Mr Trump could also have his name left off ballot papers in Illinois, where a similar bill was passed in April, as well as Washington and New Jersey.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in