Four sue to block California tax return law aimed at Trump

SACRAMENTO, California (AP) — Four California voters have sued to block a new state law aimed at forcing Republican President Donald Trump to release his income tax returns.

Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom signed a law last week that requires presidential candidates to file five years of their income tax returns with the California secretary of state.

Candidates who don’t won’t appear on the March 3 presidential primary ballot.

The conservative group Judicial Watch announced Monday it had filed a lawsuit last week to challenge the law.

The four plaintiffs are two Republicans, one Democrat, and one independent.

“This is a nonpartisan concern about the state running roughshod and attempting to amend the Constitution on its own,” Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said.

The Constitution requires three things of presidents: They have to be born in the U.S.; must be at least 35 and must have lived in the country for at least 14 years.

Attorneys for Judicial Watch argue California’s law effectively alters the Constitution by adding a new requirement for tax returns, something they say state governments don’t have the authority to do.

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