SACRAMENTO, Calif. _ California's chief elections officer said Tuesday he will appeal a federal judge's order to block the law that would require President Donald Trump to release his tax returns for access to the state's primary election ballot.
The decision by Secretary of State Alex Padilla came just hours after U.S. District Judge Morrison England Jr.'s ruling became final. England made a tentative ruling to block the new California law almost two weeks ago.
"California will appeal this ruling and we will continue to make our thorough, thoughtful argument for stronger financial disclosure requirements for presidential and gubernatorial candidates," Padilla said in a statement. "Our elected leaders have a legal and moral obligation to be transparent with voters about potential conflicts of interest. This law is fundamental to preserving and protecting American democracy."
Padilla is the defendant in five lawsuits, including one filed by Trump and his reelection campaign, seeking to block the law that Gov. Gavin Newsom signed in July. The law requires any presidential candidate seeking a spot on the California primary ballot to release five years' worth of Internal Revenue Service filings. The law also requires tax returns to be disclosed by candidates for governor.
In a 24-page ruling released Tuesday, England sharply took issue with the law's constitutionality. He wrote that "allowing individual states to potentially adopt disparate and inconsistent qualifications for presidential primary candidates tramples the framers' vision of having uniform standards for the qualifications of those individuals running for president."
Jessica Millan Patterson, chairwoman of the California Republican Party, applauded the judge's ruling.
"This decision rightfully stops the Democrats' petty politics and their efforts to disenfranchise millions of California voters and suppress Republican voter turnout," she said in a statement.
