COUNCIL MEMBER COHEN & SENATOR HOYLMAN ANNOUNCE INTRODUCTION OF NYC COUNCIL RESOLUTION CALLING FOR IMMEDIATE PASSAGE OF T.R.U.M.P. ACT

NEW YORK – Today, NYC Council Member Andrew Cohen, NYS Senator Brad Hoylman (D, WF-Manhattan) and transparency advocates gathered on the steps of City Hall to announce the introduction of a Council Resolution calling on the State Legislature to pass Hoylman’s bill requiring presidential candidates to release their tax returns as a condition for appearing on the ballot in New York.

The resolution – co-signed by 28 Council Members – calls on the State Legislature to pass and the Governor to sign the Tax Returns Uniformly Made Public (T.R.U.M.P.) Act, which was authored by Senator Hoylman and sponsored by Assemblymember Patricia Fahy. The T.R.U.M.P. Act would require any candidate for President or Vice President who wants to appear on the New York ballot to file the most recent five years of federal income tax returns with the NYS Board of Elections (BOE) no later than 50 days prior to the general election. The BOE would then have 10 days to make them publicly available on its website. Failure to comply would disqualify a candidate from appearing on the general election ballot.

Since Hoylman first announced the T.R.U.M.P. Act back in December, the bill has been endorsed by the New York Times Editorial Board; a change.org petition calling for passage of the bill has garnered more than 138,000 signatures; and legislators in 25 other states have committed to or announced interest in introducing a version of the legislation. The coalition of T.R.U.M.P. Act states represents more than 149 million people and 317 electoral votes.

Council Member Cohen’s resolution in support of the bill comes amid growing concerns over Trump’s potential connections to Russia as well as an exclusive report by Rachel Maddow on a leaked copy of Trump’s 2005 partial tax return. A national poll released yesterday by Public Policy Polling showed 61 percent of voters want Donald Trump to release his tax returns, while 61 percent express support for a law requiring a candidate to release 5 years of tax returns in order to appear on the ballot – a nearly 10 percent increase from a similar poll released three weeks ago.

“Potential conflicts of interest due to a Presidential candidate’s businesses and holdings can only be reviewed through the public disclosure of tax returns. Not only New Yorkers, but all Americans, deserve to know what candidates may be hiding by refusing to release their tax returns.

“The practice of Presidential candidates releasing tax returns is not only a longstanding tradition but it is viewed favorably by the majority of the public.  It demonstrates a commitment to transparency the American electorate has come to expect and it reassures voters that candidates do not have any conflicts of interest that would preclude them from putting the needs of the country before personal gain.  The State must pass Senator Hoylman’s TRUMP Act immediately and I hope that other states follow New York’s lead,” said Council Member Andrew Cohen.

State Senator Brad Hoylman said: “I’m deeply concerned that voters did not have a clear picture on potential conflicts of interest before they cast their vote for president. Donald Trump’s refusal to release his returns not only violates a political tradition going back to Watergate, but also raises serious questions over what he may be hiding. Voters deserve to know that personal priorities will never take precedence over the national interest. I’m proud to stand with Council Member Cohen as well as advocates in calling on Albany to protect the constitution by passing the T.R.U.M.P. Act this session.”

Assemblymember Patricia Fahy said: “The TRUMP act would ensure greater transparency in Presidential elections in New York. It is impossible for New Yorkers to have an accurate understanding of a Presidential candidate’s adherence to the law and their financial conflicts of interest without having access to their tax returns. This bill would better inform and engage the electorate, which is an essential pillar of Democracy. This past year’s unprecedented election saw for the first time in modern history a major party Presidential candidate leave Americans in the dark about their financial holdings and conflicts of interests. Now more than ever we must demand transparency from our leaders.” 

NY Indivisible supports the Trump Act because it would ensure that we will have more than promises to compare when choosing our most powerful representative," said Nicole Powell, Founding Director of NY Indivisible.

A copy of the resolution can be found here.