Tom Loftus

@TomLoftus_CJ

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Presidential candidates would have to release their income tax returns in Kentucky before their names could be placed on a Kentucky ballot under a bill filed Thursday by Sen. Morgan McGarvey.

"It's important for people that run for president to release their tax returns to the American public so we know whether there are conflicts of interest," said McGarvey, a Louisville Democrat. "Right now we have national ethics questions and investigations and we just don't have all the information. So maybe this is an issue that needs to come down to the states."

Senate Bill 253 would require that when candidates for president file their statements of candidacy they also file their federal income tax returns for the three most recent years. Those tax returns would then be posted on the web site of the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance. The bill says that before posting, the election registry shall redact information from the returns that "it deems appropriate to protect the candidate's privacy."

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McGarvey acknowledged that the bill has almost no chance to pass in the current legislative session where Republicans hold super majorities in the House and Senate. But he said distracting ethics controversies in Washington could have been avoided if President Donald Trump had released his tax returns. And McGarvey worried that Trump's failure to release tax returns could become an accepted norm.

"Every president within memory and from both parties has been transparent about their financial dealings and there are many unanswered questions that could be answered with some transparency," he said."I think it's important to have this conversation."

McGarvey, who is an attorney, said he believes states can establish such a requirement for candidates for president. "We put forth all sorts of requirements for people who run for office..." he said. "And I've done a little research and can't find any authority saying it's not allowed."

Senate President Robert Stivers, a Manchester Republican who also is an attorney, said he had not seen the bill, but said, "My first question is whether that's something we can do ... Is that something that we can do that's not pre-empted by federal law?"

But Stivers stopped short of ruling out giving any consideration to the bill. "Morgan generally has pretty logical arguments — not on the University of Louisville issues — but on other matters he generally has a good basis."

Gov. Matt Bevin, like Trump, also broke from recent tradition by refusing to release his tax returns. But an earlier Senate bill would require candidates for governor and other statewide offices to release their tax returns as a condition for having their names placed on the ballot.

"And this is an important, separate issue. I wanted to elevate this above any partisan concerns in the Capitol here, so it applies to candidates for president of all parties," McGarvey said.

Reporter Tom Loftus can be reached at (502) 875-5136 or tloftus@courier-journal.com.

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