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California judge blocks law requiring Trump to submit tax returns to compete in state's 2020 primary
[FOXNEWS] A federal judge in Caliphornia, an impregnable bastion of the Democratic Party, Thursday granted the Trump campaign’s request to block a new law that requires presidential and gubernatorial candidates to release five years of tax returns to run in the state’s primary elections.

The law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, in July would have left the sitting president off of the ballot in California’s March 2020 primary unless he submitted five years’ worth of his tax returns by a Nov. 26 deadline, the Los Angeles Times reported. Under SB 27, Trump would be included on the general election ballot in November 2020. Opponents of the law argue depressed GOP voter turnout in the primary could discourage voters from showing up to vote for the president in the main race.

"We are encouraged that the federal court has tentatively concluded that a preliminary injunction should be granted. We look forward to the court’s written order," Trump's attorney, Jay Sukelow, said in a statement, according to The Hill. "It remains our position that the law is unconstitutional because states are not permitted to add additional requirements for candidates for president, and that the law violated citizens’ 1st Amendment right of association."

U.S. District Judge Morrison England Jr., who was appointed by President George W. Bush, said he would issue a final ruling by the end of the month. He said he handed down an initial order from the bench to prevent the "irreparable harm without temporary relief" for Trump and other candidates should the law go into effect, according to the Times.

Thursday’s hearing consolidated five separate lawsuits filed against the state in response to SB 27. But Trump was the most high-profile defendant. Some argue the law was politically motivated and was conjured up by Democrats who are leading a widespread push to force the president to turn over his tax returns.

"The elephant in the room is President Trump's tax returns ‐ that's what this is about," England said during the hearing in Sacramento. "But it does have implications that are far-reaching."

Trump's lawyers said SB 27 would unfairly force the president to give up his right to privacy. Trump has already complied with federal law by submitting an annual report that provides an overview of his finances. The Ethics in Government Act (EIGA), which was enacted in 1976, applies to a range of high-ranking federal officials, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Posted by: Fred 2019-09-21
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=550875