Governor Gavin Newsom apparently endorses unconstitutional moves to further his political power. As of the last week, he signed legislation that would require President Trump to publicly give up his tax returns in order to be presented on the California primary ballot for the 2020 election.
However, Newsom is not just applying it to the President; the “Presidential Tax Transparency and Accountability Act” will also be enforced upon gubernatorial candidates along with tax returns being within the past five years. As one would expect, the bill received full support from the Democratic-led legislature. Governor Newsom attempted to justify his completely unconstitutional bill by invoking the Constitution and the magnitude of California’s economy.
Governor Newsom could not be more inaccurate. The Constitution clearly articulates that states do not have the authority to add personal requirements to the original qualifications for someone serving as president. Furthermore, it violates the First Amendment right of the association because states do not have the authority to inform political parties which candidates their party members are allowed to vote in a primary election. Clearly, Governor Newsom is unaware of the legal battle that will ensue should the bill become a law considering there is Supreme Court precedent which vetoed similar bills.
If it was not evident, Governor Newsom has a personal vendetta against Trump and is now willing to utilize unlawful methods to accomplish his goals-he is actually willing to undermine the United States Constitution to justify his bill. Furthermore, Governor Newsom is just using this opportunity to bolster his image within the Democratic Party. By conveying noble intentions and appealing to his constituents, Governor Newsom thinks he will finally have the support to take down President Trump.
As usual, he has failed to realize the consequences of his actions. If the bill becomes a law, not only will Californian Republicans become enraged, but he will further damage the relationship between Sacramento and the Trump administration. Former Governor Jerry Brown even commented that Newsom’s action would be a grave mistake and cause problems Newsom would not be able to handle. In addition, if the bill is passed, it could affect the election as a whole because other states could be motivated to adopt similar laws.
Yet, Governor Gavin Newsom can attempt to use unconstitutional methods all he wants and try to make the laws but in the end, his political ploys are transparent. It is extremely evident that Newsom is just trying to increase his political relevance regardless of what it takes. Lastly, Trump has managed to prevent releasing his tax returns before indicating he would be more than capable to do so again making Newsom’s efforts completely futile and pointless.
Photo by Anthony Garand
