ALBANY, NY (WSKG) - While it seems unlikely that the White House or Treasury will comply with congressional Democrats' request to see President Donald Trump's tax returns this week, a group of New York state lawmakers is trying its own workaround — seeking the president's state tax returns instead.
"There’s a copy of President Trump’s New York state tax returns right here in New York state in an office somewhere," said Assemblyman David Buchwald.
Buchwald introduced a bill Monday that would authorize the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance to release the state tax returns of any statewide elected official, under certain circumstances. That includes the president of the United States.
Because New York has long been home to both Trump and his business organization, access to his state tax returns would likely offer much insight into potential conflicts of interests, and the president’s compliance with tax law.
"Tax returns can be a true window on what really affects someone's bottom line," Buchwald said. "The fact that the president is not willing to make his public gives me strong confidence that he's hiding something."
Speaking to WCNY's “The Capitol Pressroom, state Republican Party Chairman Ed Cox said that state Democrats have been afflicted by "Trump Derangement Syndrome," and that they ought to pay attention to state issues.
Yet state Republicans may not be able to block the legislation, which enjoys support from a majority of both houses.
The real question is whether state leadership will support and advance the bill. Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie says his chamber likely won’t even pick it up until the end of the month. And the governor's office has been noncommittal thus far.