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Senator urges committee to require presidential primary candidates to release recent tax returns
Summary
Sen. Rasha testified in support of S 530, a bill that would require presidential primary candidates on the Massachusetts ballot to disclose the prior four years of federal tax returns, saying returns help reveal conflicts of interest.
Sen. Rasha told the Joint Committee on Election Laws she supports Senate Bill 530, a measure that would require any presidential candidate seeking placement on the Massachusetts primary ballot to release the previous four years of federal tax returns.
“Tax returns provide voters with important information,” Rasha said, describing returns as a long-standing bipartisan norm that helps reveal whether a candidate has paid taxes, what they own or owe, and whether they have potential conflicts of interest. “Transparency matters and voters deserve to know,” Rasha added, and asked the committee to report S 530 favorably.
Rasha framed the bill as a restoration of customary disclosure after recent years in which the practice was not followed by the incumbent at the time of testimony. She said release of returns helps voters evaluate ownership interests, loans, charitable contributions, foreign accounts and potential entanglements with foreign businesses or governments.
No committee action was recorded in the hearing record presented to the committee; Rasha offered to answer questions from committee members.
