[A]t least eight Vermont communities supported a measure to require presidential candidates to release their tax returns to get on the ballot, a proposal raised in response to President Donald Trump’s refusal to release his returns.
Another community, Charlotte, voted to have the U.S. House investigate whether to impeach Trump for receiving money from foreign governments.
According to Bill Butler, who helped organize the tax return referendum, the towns of Williston, Jericho, Richmond, Bolton, East Montpelier, Worcester, Middlesex and Peacham voted in favor of the measure.
In Underhill, voters rejected the idea after Sen. Chris Pearson, P/D-Chittenden, an opponent of the measure, told voters they needed to defeat Trump on the issues and not “use tricks to keep him off the ballot.” Pearson was asked by a voter to explain legislation in Montpelier that mirrors the proposal.
Butler, a jewelry designer who lives in Jericho, said Trump was the catalyst for the proposal but that it was more about discovering “a loophole” in election law.
“This was about the people, the citizens of Vermont speaking out and saying something about this issue,” Butler said. “When Trump said no one cares about my tax returns, I thought I’ll bet if I ask my town if they care about it, they will all say yes.”
Butler said he is not disappointed legislation requiring the release of returns appears headed for defeat at the Statehouse. Three of the five members of the Senate Government Operations Committee, including Pearson, have raised doubts about the proposal, particularly the concern that it would raise a costly legal challenge.
“That’s OK, I want them to be cautious,” Butler said.
“This is a dicey idea. We might appear in the U.S. Supreme Court and that’s terrifying to people,” he said, recalling an earlier campaign finance effort that Vermont took to the high court and lost. He said it might be better for Vermont to wait to pass such legislation until after other states do so Vermont could join an alliance if the law was challenged in court.
Sen. Bernie Sanders released his 2014, but not his 2015 return. Under the Vermont proposal, candidates would have to release returns for the past five years to get on the primary and general election ballots.
Butler said he hoped the Vermont town votes might spur other states to take up the measure so Vermont would not have to fight a court battle alone. He also said the measure could be incorporated in federal campaign finance reform measures and could be added to next year’s town meeting discussions since the next presidential election is three years away.
In Charlotte, voters said the House should investigate Trump and possibly start impeachment proceedings. The petition said Trump was violating the U.S. Constitution because he receives money from foreign governments through his businesses.
Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that Marshfield approved the measure.
