Professor Derek Muller Quoted on Lawsuit Against California Law Requiring Presidential Candidate Tax Returns - NPR News

Professor Derek T. Muller is quoted in the National Public Radio KQED News article, "Trump, GOP Sue California Over Law Forcing Release of His Tax Returns." The article considers the constitutionality of a California bill requiring presidential candidates to release five years of their income tax returns in order to appear on the state's March 3, 2020 primary ballot.

Excerpt from "Trump, GOP Sue California Over Law Forcing Release of His Tax Returns"

"The Legislature wants to achieve a particular outcome, it wants to see candidates' tax returns and conditioning ballot access on that," Muller said. "In my view it can't do that."

Muller notes that other states tried to add qualifications for access to the ballot and the courts struck them down. In the 1960s, for example, (Louisiana) wanted to include the race of each candidate on the ballot. "The court said you can't do that," Muller said. "You say you're trying to inform the public but of course what you're trying to do is advantage white candidates."

"The courts have been very reluctant in these cases to add on requirements ... you can't just stack them on there because you think it's a good idea."

The complete article may be found here