California Requires Trump to Release Tax Returns for Spot on Primary Ballot

[KingsGambit]

What could he have possibly itemized that would be - well, anything?

Maybe if it turned out he hadn't filed for seven years?

[Teallaura]

Maybe if it turned out he hadn't filed for seven years?

Yeah, I'm thinking the IRS might have noticed that one...

[Mountain Man]

You can't say that definitively. All the articles I've read have said "Yes, but..." This matter is much too complex to say that.

I'm guessing you've never filled out a tax return.

[JimL]

Actually, they're targeting Trump, and only the dumbest don't know that.

No, it's a result of Trumps evasiveness and criminality, but it is to be law for everyone always including the governor.

[Cow Poke]

No, it's a result of Trumps evasiveness and criminality, but it is to be law for everyone always including the governor.

And only ignorant jackasses are falling for it. Congrats.

[Mountain Man]

No, it's a result of Trumps evasiveness and criminality, but it is to be law for everyone always including the governor.

Because it's "criminal" and "evasive" to refuse to release private records that are nobody else's business, am I right?

[Teallaura]

No, it's a result of Trumps evasiveness and criminality, but it is to be law for everyone always including the governor.

*cough* Fourth Amendment *cough*

[JimL]

*cough* Fourth Amendment *cough*

True, but I don't consider it to be "unreasonable" that citizens know ahead of time whether or not the people they are considering hiring to represent them is a crook. But, it would also need to be a federal law, applicable to every state, not just California, otherwise it wouldn't work. Also, the government wouldn't be siezing a candidates tax returns, in violation of the 4th amendment, they would simply be requiring a presidential candidate to make them public should they choose to run for President and want to be on the ballot.

[Cow Poke]

True, but I don't consider it to be "unreasonable" that citizens know ahead of time whether or not the people they are considering hiring to represent them is a crook. But, it would also need to be a federal law, applicable to every state, not just California, otherwise it wouldn't work. Also, the government wouldn't be siezing a candidates tax returns, in violation of the 4th amendment, they would simply be requiring a presidential candidate to make them public should they choose to run for President and want to be on the ballot.

You can wish in one hand and spit in the other, and see which fills up first.

[Teallaura]

True, but I don't consider it to be "unreasonable" that citizens know ahead of time whether or not the people they are considering hiring to represent them is a crook. But, it would also need to be a federal law, applicable to every state, not just California, otherwise it wouldn't work. Also, the government wouldn't be siezing a candidates tax returns, in violation of the 4th amendment, they would simply be requiring a presidential candidate to make them public should they choose to run for President and want to be on the ballot.

'Requiring' as a condition is also a violation of the Fourth Amendment - the government simply has no right to the information (there's a reason tax returns are considered confidential). What is legal - and Trump has complied with - is a financial statement. Without actual evidence of misconduct - which does not include any of your diatribes against Trump - no state, other than his own, has any right to see his tax records - and his own state only has the right to see those state returns filed appropriately. Otherwise, even those documents are still confidential.

If the President's confidentiality is not observed, what make you think yours will be? Allowing states to demand access to records they have no right to and have provided no due process to obtain flies straight in the face of the Fourth Amendment. Trump can do what he likes with his own records - but this law needs to be struck down quickly to protect the rest of us!

[Cow Poke]

If the President's confidentiality is not observed, what make you think yours will be? Allowing states to demand access to records they have no right to and have provided no due process to obtain flies straight in the face of the Fourth Amendment. Trump can do what he likes with his own records - but this law needs to be struck down quickly to protect the rest of us!

This part.... um.... when you enter the public arena, particularly vying for the most powerful position in the free world, you understand that part of that process is forfeiting a bunch of privacy.

[Teallaura]

This part.... um.... when you enter the public arena, particularly vying for the most powerful position in the free world, you understand that part of that process is forfeiting a bunch of privacy.

You don't forfeit your due process rights - or any others - merely to apply for a job, albeit high profile. Privacy isn't at issue here (it's still dumb) - whether or not a candidate forfeits their rights as citizens is. No, no one has the right to see your confidential records merely because you'd like to work for them - and that includes the American public.

And there are plenty of public records that are available to gauge a candidate's merits by. Stripping a candidate's rights only means you have a smaller and likely poorer candidate pool. Only those who can hide their dirty laundry will even try.

[Cow Poke]

You don't forfeit your due process rights - or any others - merely to apply for a job, albeit high profile. Privacy isn't at issue here (it's still dumb) - whether or not a candidate forfeits their rights as citizens is. No, no one has the right to see your confidential records merely because you'd like to work for them - and that includes the American public.

And there are plenty of public records that are available to gauge a candidate's merits by. Stripping a candidate's rights only means you have a smaller and likely poorer candidate pool. Only those who can hide their dirty laundry will even try.

It's all political -- if the public pitches a fit, driven by the liberal media, that Trump needs to release his tax returns, he has the option of gambling that he can survive the onslaught. Apparently, he has decided he can not only survive the onslaught, but revels in the angst he causes the liberals. As somebody else mentioned, that may even be the main reason he's not releasing anything.

[Teallaura]

It's all political -- if the public pitches a fit, driven by the liberal media, that Trump needs to release his tax returns, he has the option of gambling that he can survive the onslaught. Apparently, he has decided he can not only survive the onslaught, but revels in the angst he causes the liberals. As somebody else mentioned, that may even be the main reason he's not releasing anything.

Actually, he's doing a service, intentional or not. We need to knock off this crap. If being in the public eye means being hit in the face with every bad thing you've ever done, only those good at hiding bad things are going to be willing to enter public life - and criminals would be the ones with the most practice...

[JimL]

It's all political -- if the public pitches a fit, driven by the liberal media, that Trump needs to release his tax returns, he has the option of gambling that he can survive the onslaught. Apparently, he has decided he can not only survive the onslaught, but revels in the angst he causes the liberals. As somebody else mentioned, that may even be the main reason he's not releasing anything.

No, the reason he's not releasing them is because although he lied to you and promised to release them after the phoney audit was over, he never intended to release them because he knew that in doing so his constituents/supporters would realize what dupes they'd been for believing him. And of course those same supporters don't want to be exposed for the dupes they are, so even they don't want him to release his taxes now either. Though of course, if it were Barak Hussien Obama that made that same promise to them and then renegged on it, those same Trumpsters would be whining like a bunch of republicans.