byronglimish wrote:
The magnanimous state of Rhode Island is trying to get a bill passed, that will keep Donald Trump off the ballot in their state in 2020, if he doesn't produce his tax returns..
State Sen. Gayle Goldin (D) sponsored the bill, saying every presidential candidate has released their tax returns voluntarily since Nixon..
Rhode Island is a heavyweight state with four electoral votes..
Is this bill Constitutional?
No and it won’t fly here either... potential presidents go through a vetting process and disclose everything required or they aren’t approved.. Unless of course you are Bo..
Members of Congress, candidates for federal office, senior congressional staff, nominees for executive branch positions, Cabinet members, the president and vice president and Supreme Court justices are required by the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 to file annual reports disclosing their personal finances. Compliance and enforcement of this requirement is overseen by the congressional ethics committees, the ethics offices of government agencies and, in the case of executive branch officials, the U.S. Office of Government Ethics.
These forms record earned and unearned income, assets and related transactions, liabilities, contributions made in lieu of honoraria, gifts received, non-governmental positions held, travel that was paid for or for which the filer was reimbursed, and various agreements into which the filer has entered. Information relating to the spouse and dependent children of the filer is also reported in many cases...
Take a look at this article its rather in depth in disclosure requirements..
What is required to be reported gives a lot more information than someone's tax return, which is private and none of anyone’s business!!
https://www.opensecrets.org/personal-finances/disclosure...
And another if interested..
Strong disclosure laws help keep elected officials accountable. Many states require some level of gift disclosure, and 47 states require some level of financial disclosure. Although no states currently require public officials to make their tax returns public, this information would provide voters with another important way to compare a lawmaker's words against his or her record. Presidential candidates are expected to disclose their tax returns (not that all of them do). Why not ask the same of all candidates running for public office?
http://www.govtech.com/opinion/Political-Transparency-Strong-Disclosure-Laws-Help-Keep-Elected-Officials-Accountable.html?AMP