Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Democrats Just Unveiled the First Major Reform Package They'll Introduce in the House, and Yep, They're Going After Trump's Taxes

Democrats Just Unveiled the First Major Reform Package They'll Introduce in the House, and Yep, They're Going After Trump's Taxes
President Donald Trump and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (Ron Sachs-Pool and Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Here we go.

On Friday, House Democrats unveiled legislation titled "For the People Act." The purpose is to provide campaign finance reform, election integrity and security, congressional ethics and more.

It also requires presidential candidates to disclose 10 years of tax returns, promotes transparency for presidential inaugural and transition committees and tightens White House ethics standards.


Many view it as a first salvo aimed at President Donald Trump by a House of Representatives led by newly elected Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California.

The legislation will go through various committees before going to the House floor for a vote. However Dems hope to complete that step by early this year.

If passed as written, incumbent Presidents, Vice Presidents as well as candidates for those offices would have to release 10 years of tax returns. Whether those returns would be made public or simply go to an oversight committee for review is unclear.

The legislation is not the only effort to review and gain a full financial disclosure from the President however.

Existing federal law allows chairs of congressional taxation committees to inspect the tax returns of anyone paying United States taxes. Ways and Means Committee Chairman, Massachusetts Representative Richard E. Neal announced plans to address that option.

Trump is likely to try to block the effort in court as he has all current litigation against him.

So if the option to review the President's tax returns exists under current federal law, why has it not happened before now?

Committee chairs are always members of the majority party. Since Trump took office in 2016, Republicans chaired all committees that had access to the President's tax returns.

Lending a note of hypocrisy to past GOP calls for Trump's tax returns to be released.

Other components of the new legislation address issues that arose during the Trump transition and inauguration. Concerns about the operations of the Trump inaugural committee, which raised tens of millions of dollars that remain unaccounted for, and Trump's transition team, of which several members resigned or were fired and currently face federal charges or are under investigation.

Vice President Mike Pence oversaw the Trump transition team.

Another feature of the House legislation is expanded voter registration, improved access to voting options and tightened election security. Improved disclosure of political donors and reduced influence from deep pockets on the political process is another goal.

Democratic Representative John Sarbanes of Maryland, who helped draft the bill said:

"I have a feeling the 2020 election is going to have a historic turnout for voting, and if we’re not ready for that we could end up with a train wreck. This is a set of prescriptions to make sure every election that comes down the pike is handled in a respectful way."

But Senate Majority Leader, Republican Mitch McConnell already declared the bill D.O.A. when it reaches the Senate. McConnell is often criticized for those who fill his own political coffers.

Sarbanes responded to McConnell's edict though.

The Maryland legislator stated:

"You could stamp on this thing, ‘McConnell rejected,’ and it would immediately give it more credibility. If he wants to ultimately stand with his arms folded between the American people and their democracy, then he should go right ahead, but I think he’s going to get knocked over by where the sentiment of the country is right now."

Other features of the bill include:

  • Public financing system for presidential and congressional campaigns
  • Redistricting changes requiring states use independent redistricting commissions to draw their congressional districts
  • Expansion of “stand by your ad” disclosures to include the leaders of corporations, unions and other organizations who purchase political ads
  • Prohibition on members of Congress serving on boards of for-profit entities

An exact timeline for the legislation is undetermined for now.

More from People/donald-trump

dictionary entry for "censorship"
Mick Haupt on Unsplash

People Break Down The Dumbest Things They Ever Saw Censored

Censorship is all around us. Censorship is ⬛⬛⬛⬛ and when ⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️ can be ⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️, except in cases where ⬛️⬛️⬛️ is ⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️.

Frustrating, right?

Keep ReadingShow less
A wide shot of a group of younger people having a work meeting in a conference room.
Photo by Redd F on Unsplash

People Reveal Secrets About Their Job No One Is Supposed To Know

Every workplace has its issues and secrets.

And the sooner they're exposed, the better.

Keep ReadingShow less
Kash Patel
Peter Zay/Anadolu via Getty Images

Fox Mocked For Sad Graphic Listing Kash Patel's 'Qualifications' To Be FBI Director

As President-elect Donald Trump announces his choices for Trump administration 2.0, some are proving harder for his allies to justify than others.

On Saturday, Trump announced via Truth Social that he planned to appoint MAGA loyalist Kash Patel to head up the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Keep ReadingShow less
Eddie Murphy; Eric Murphy & Jasmin Lawrence; Martin Lawrence
Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images; @jasmin_lawrence/Instagram; Noam Galai/Getty Images for SiriusXM

Eddie Murphy's Son Just Got Engaged To Martin Lawrence's Daughter—And Fans Are Overjoyed

Martin Lawrence’s daughter, Jasmin Lawrence, and Eddie Murphy’s son, Eric Murphy, are officially engaged!

The couple, together for over three years, announced the happy news on Instagram with a romantic video featuring Eric’s candlelit proposal, set to Eric Benét’s Spend My Life with You.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from TikTok videos by @jngarz, @cass.on.tour, and @flowerpower12790
@jngarz/TikTok; @cass.on.tour/TikTok; @flowerpower12790/TikTok

Kacey Musgraves Puts Florida Fan On Blast For Grabbing Her During Tampa Concert

Country singer Kacey Musgraves is currently touring the southern U.S., and while she was in Florida, one fan nearly ruined the tour for everyone when they inappropriately grabbed the artist.

While in Tampa, Florida, Musgraves was performing down on the floor with the audience, walking toward the camera for dramatic effect when an audience member grabbed her arm and yanked her toward the crowd.

Keep ReadingShow less