Posted on 04/30/2019 5:08:50 PM PDT by jazusamo
Democrats have redoubled their efforts to force President Trump to release his federal tax returns by threatening to keep him off the 2020 ballot in deep-blue states, to which he might say: So what?
Seventeen states have seen bills introduced this year that would require presidential candidates to turn over their tax returns as a condition for ballot access, and such measures have cleared one legislative chamber in at least four states.
For the Trump campaign, however, there may be worse fates than being left off the ballot in liberal enclaves like California, Hawaii and Illinois, where the mandatory tax-return bills are making headway, given that no Republican presidential contender is likely to prevail there.
“In theory, he [Trump] could really push this, and he could be disqualified from the state ballots, and it wouldn’t necessarily affect the Electoral College vote at all,” said University of Denver political science professor Seth Masket. “Because those were states he wasn’t going to win anyway.”
~snip~
Josh Blackman, associate professor at the South Texas College of Law, said the bills “are inconsistent with Supreme Court precedent.’
“As a general matter, states cannot impose additional requirements for federal officers,” Mr. Blackman said. “For example, states cannot impose term limits on members of Congress. Or require that the President be 40 years old, instead of 35, as the Constitution requires.”
The only way to mandate tax returns would be through a constitutional amendment to Article II, requiring ratification of three-fourths of the states, said Jenna Ellis, a fellow in constitutional law at the Centennial Institute.
“Neither Congress nor the state legislature can unilaterally add a requirement and bind the Electoral College,” said Ms. Ellis, a member of the Trump 2020 advisory board.
(Excerpt) Read more at outline.com ...
But that won't stop them from trying, will it?
The States are not changing the requirements to BE President.
They are changing the methods by which their State Legislatures appoint their Electors for President and Vice President.
It is perfectly legal and perfectly Constitutional.
It is also extremely unwise. The last time this happened on this scale was 1860, and we know how that turned out.
Yep, they’re scared to death. :^)
Can we keep ineligible candidates off ballots?
We failed to keep Obama off and he is not a natural born citizen as he was born a British subject and a Kenyan national.
Trump should use this to get a flat tax or national sales tax.
Never happen though, because the income tax mandates you show where you got your income! That way they can continue to enslave you.
See tagline.
A lawsuit that claims what, exactly?
There are no Presidential elections in the Constitution.
Trump will flip a bunch of states imho.
I might need a little help and a quick refresher on the Abrams. Sign me up.
Thanks...I’m no authority on law or the Constitution but you make an excellent point and I agree.
If they do this, all votes from their state for any candidate should not be counted. Do us a favor.
No...however, this could cause us to lose a lot of winnable House and legislative seats by severely depressing Republican turnout in those states, which is probably the actual goal of this policy.
The Tree of Liberty needs watered sometimes, and nobody lives forever.
Works for me!!!
Either way, or perhaps a third way, BUT I AM SICK AND TIRED OF THE DEMS WHINING, CRYING, THREATENING AND GENERALLY ACTING LIKE BABIES.
We should ALWAYS stay on offense and come up with an equal kind of threat...you know like Cavuto always says...whining voice....”BOTH SIDES DO IT.”
Which is pure poppycock. We are never mean as a first response.
We have already been through this. It’s not legal, and it’s not Constitutional. If this is constitutional, then so is a state law that prohibits its electors from casting electoral votes for women or black people.
Not necessarily in this case because the Presidential election is a local, state election in each state created individually by each legislature.
Our country is a joke.
That’s a plausible argument.
It is not true, however, as some are arguing that they cannot do this because the election for President in a state is a “Federal” election - it is not - it is a local election created by acts of the legislatures of the several states.
Thanks
Stupid me
I thought it looked strange when I typed it.
I’m on a phone right now
Computer typing I think I wouldn’t have done that
Actually, you may be on to something. If a couple red states started moving a bill through stating that you cannot be on the ballot if you DO release your tax returns, that might make them pause. Make up some “it prejudices people against business owners” rationale.
How about a lawsuit coming from the people who are deprived of voting for President Trump? I understand you have to be hurt some way to file a lawsuit, well, not being able to vote for someone I like is hurting me...and I assume I am not the only one.
There are only three things in the Constitution that qualifies you:
Natural born citizen
35 years old
live in the US for 14 years
Anything else is contrived.
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