Progressive Activists Deliver Tax Return Petitions To Trump Tower

More than 400,000 Americans signed a petition calling on Donald Trump to release his tax returns. On Tuesday, progressive activists delivered those signatures to Trump Tower.

Progressive activists showed up at Donald Trump’s doorstep on Tuesday with a simple demand for Trump: Release your tax returns. It’s a pretty simple request, and not all that unusual. For the last 40 years, every major presidential nominee has done it. In 2012, Trump even went on Fox News to prod Mitt Romney to release his returns, saying “Mitt has to get this returns out.” Hillary Clinton released forms for every year going back to 1977 — 39 years.

500,000 petitions calling on @realDonaldTrump to reveal his taxes being delivered at Trump Tower pic.twitter.com/VYbQaSAyrp — People's Action (@PplsAction) July 12, 2016

According to Citizen Action of New York’s New York City organizer Darius Gordon, the petition delivery addressed both Trump’s tax record and his racist rhetoric. “We had about eight boxes of petitions,” Gordon said, “and a family originally from Mexico but who are now American citizens led the delivery.”

When someone is running for the highest office in the country, voters have a right to know if he or she can be trusted, and how he or she does business. While it’s not mandatory, it goes along way towards answering those questions when a candidate releases tax returns. In Trump’s case, it would put to rest or debunk a lot of claims he’s made on the campaign trail.

No one at Trump Tower in New York City was willing to receive the petitions. “We approached the security desk to ask if someone would accept the petitions,” Gordon said. “Someone came down, but refused to accept the petitions.” Progressive activists aren’t giving up. The petitions may yet be delivered electronically. Yet, their message was delivered loud and clear. “I want people to understand that we’re going through economic struggle right now,” Gordon said, and for the people who are the top — especially if you want to be the leader of the free world — to get away with not paying their fair share is something that should infuriate you, and motivate you to do something about it."