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Eshoo introduces bill requiring presidential nominees to release tax returns
If Donald Trump was hoping that the issue of his tax returns would quietly go away, this news will disappoint him: Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., has introduced legislation in the House of Representatives to require presidential candidates to release their tax returns.
The bill, which is co-sponsored by 16 lawmakers, would require major party presidential nominees to release three years of tax returns within 15 days of securing the nomination. Within 30 days, the chairman of the Federal Election Commission would be required to ask the secretary of the Treasury Department to release the returns.
Along with five co-sponsors, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., introduced a companion bill in the Senate on May 25.
In a statement, Eshoo said: “Those who strive to serve in the highest office in the land should be open and transparent with the American people about their tax returns. … This basic information should be available for the public to see before they cast their ballots.”
A recent poll from The New York Times and CBS News showed a strong majority of registered voters think it is necessary for presidential candidates to disclose their tax returns.
The Sunlight Foundation’s John Wonderlich recently called on Congress to tackle the issue as well:
Just as presidential candidates are required to submit personal financial disclosure forms to the Federal Election Commission, they could be required to submit their tax returns for public review. An orderly, enforceable, rule-based process would let us skip the drama and doubts, and ensure access to what we already expect of our candidates: a reasonably clear view into their financial lives.
The Sunlight Foundation is a non-profit, nonpartisan organization that uses the power of the Internet to catalyze greater government openness and transparency, and provides new tools and resources for media and citizens, alike.
Source: http://sunlightfoundation.com/blog/2016/06/09/eshoo-introduces-bill-requiring-presidential-nominees-to-release-tax-returns/
