NJ Closer To Pushing Trump Off Ballot For Concealing Tax Returns

New Jersey has gotten closer to becoming among the biggest obstacles in President Trump's path toward re-election – and it all has to do with his tax returns, which he has not made public.

The state Senate bill approved a bill Thursday, by a 23-11 vote, that would drop the president from New Jersey's ballot if he doesn't release his tax returns. Three Democrats and three Republicans did not vote on the bill.

The bill now requires a full Assembly vote and Gov. Phil Murphy's signature in order to become law.

Democrats have not publicly commented on the new legislation, but Sen. Joe Pennacchio, R-Morris, said he attempted to amend the bill on the floor to include all candidates for governor, state Senate, and the Assembly.

In a clear rebuke of transparency, he said, the majority party chose to block his amendment.

“Blocking my amendment was the height of hypocrisy," Pennacchio said. "Clearly, their bill is nothing more than a thinly-veiled political stunt to keep President Trump off the ballot. It shows that they are unwilling to hold themselves to the same standard. I highly doubt that the Senate Majority would have done this if a Democrat was in the Oval Office.

The bill, which was earlier approved by the State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation by a 4-0 vote, would require candidates for president and vice-president of the United States to submit their federal income tax returns to the Division of Elections.

The bill would require returns from at least the five most recent taxable years. Under the bill, each candidate would also submit written consent to the division for the public disclosure of the income tax returns.

It would be sharp rebuke to Trump, whose self-promotion and grandiose lifestyle helped make him nationally famous in the 1980s when he owned several casinos in Atlantic City.

Democrats have attempted – and failed – to do this before since President Trump has consistently declined to release his tax returns.

In 2017, Gov. Chris Christie vetoed a similar attempt to force Trump to release his tax returns, calling the proposed legislation a "transparent political stunt masquerading as a bill" and "politics at its worst."

Christie, a strong Trump ally who was one of the first high-profile Republicans to endorse him, has publicly supported Trump's effort to keep them concealed.

In 2017, Christie called the legislation passed by the Democrat-controlled legislature "unconstitutional," suggesting that the bill's supporters are Trump critics who are desperate.

Assemblyman John McKeon, a Democrat from Essex-Morris, said then that the veto is another example of how Christie is "obsessed" with protecting Trump.

"This bill wasn't about President Trump. 2016 is over," McKeon said in a statement. "Donald Trump is the president. This bill was about going forward, yet all Gov. Christie can think about is his ally Donald Trump. Sad!"

The new bill requires a candidate for president or vice-president of the United States to file the income tax returns and written consent for disclosure with the division no later than 50 days before the general election. The division would then post the income tax returns on its Internet website no later than seven days after the candidate has filed the income tax returns with the division.

The bill requires the division, in consultation with the Attorney General, to redact any information contained in the income tax returns that the division deems necessary before the division posts the income tax returns on its website.

Additionally, the bill provides that an elector cannot vote for a candidate for president or vice-President unless the candidate submits federal income tax returns to the division in accordance with the provisions of the bill.

“Frankly, this bill is probably unconstitutional. It sends a message that states can tamper with the ballot in any way that pleases the majority party politically, and taxpayers will be the ones who pay the price when this ends up in court," Pennacchio said. "This is a very slippery slope."

(Image via Getty Images / Pool / Pool)