'T.R.U.M.P. Act' Seeks To Make Candidates Reveal Tax Returns
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Minnesota lawmakers are mounting an effort at the Minnesota State Capitol to force presidential candidates, including President Donald Trump, to disclose their tax returns if they appear on the Minnesota election ballot.
Candidate Donald Trump promised to disclose his tax returns, but President Trump now says he will not.
That is why there is a bill introduced in the Minnesota House and Senate called the "Tax Returns Uniformly Made Public" Act.
Or, the T.R.U.M.P. Act.
DFL Senator Dan Schoen says Trump is the first presidential candidate since 1972 not to release tax returns.
If future candidates refuse, Schoen says they should be barred from the Minnesota ballot.
"When someone walks in and just trounces on what's right, the right thing to do, we kind of stand up and go, 'Why are you the one who won't do it? What are you hiding?'" said Schoen, from Cottage Grove.
The T.R.U.M.P. Act requires candidates for president and vice president to file their tax returns with the Minnesota Secretary of State 11 weeks before Election Day.
But it might not be that easy.
"The big thing is [that] the U.S. Constitution 'trumps' Minnesota law," said Republican State Senator Mary Kiffmeyer.
The former Minnesota Secretary of State, and chair of the Minnesota Senate Elections Committee, says it is probably unconstitutional.
"You can't require more than what the U.S. Constitution requires for any candidate for federal office," Kiffmeyer said.
The U.S. Constitution has three requirements for presidential candidates: they must be at least 35 years old, must reside in the United States and must be a natural born citizen.
Schoen says if President Trump runs for re-election, his taxes should get the same scrutiny as he gave President Obama's birth certificate.
"If you're going to challenge someone about their birth certificate, but then all of a sudden you don't want to release your tax returns? We don't know what we're going to find," Schoen said.
The T.R.U.M.P. Act has been introduced in at least five states -- all blue states that voted for Democrat Hillary Clinton.
In Minnesota, however, the Senate author is a Democrat and the House author is a Republican: Rep. Pat Garofalo.
