Democrats are mounting a new effort to force the Republican-led House to take up legislation compelling Donald Trump to release his tax returns.
Citing national security and a need to “connect the dots” when it comes to Trump and his foreign connections, particularly Russia, Democrats announced Wednesday they plan to collect signatures on a discharge petition on the legislation.
“This is not just about releasing the tax returns… but to connect the dots,” said Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., a sponsor of the legislation. “This is now a national security issue. An issue where you respect the American people because in a democracy, you need to have transparency.”
Democrats pushed back on criticism that requiring a U.S citizen to reveal his or her tax returns would be a violation of the law.
“This is not about the law,” said House Ways and Means Committee ranking member Richard Neal, D-Mass. “It’s about custom and practice. It’s a settled tradition.”
A discharge petition signed by a majority of House lawmakers, in this case 216 members, would force Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., to bring the legislation to the floor.
Such a vote would be politically difficult for Republicans, making it unlikely Democrats, who hold 193 seats, will win enough signatures. But the move keeps the Trump tax issue alive.
Democrats say Trump’s tax returns should be revealed to ensure there are no conflicts of interest between his business interests and his government actions.
There is no law requiring presidential candidates to disclose tax returns, but major candidates except for Trump have released their returns in elections dating back to President Gerald Ford.
Rep. Bill Pascrell, D-N.J., said Wednesday the tax returns would enable the public to connect Trump to nefarious international characters, including Russian mobsters. “These are the keys to find out who our president is,” Pascrell said.
Democrats pressured Republicans to sign the petition, saying they would appear complicit if they do not help Democrats bring the bill to the floor.
“The only question is whether Republicans will continue to place party over country,” said Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.
