[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 46 (Thursday, March 14, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H2722-H2723]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            WE HAVE GOT TO KNOW IF OUR PRESIDENT IS A CROOK

  (Mr. CASTEN of Illinois asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. CASTEN of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, just last week we passed H.R. 1, 
the For the People Act, with its worthy aim: to ensure that this 
government represents the voices of all Americans and not just the 
privileged and powerful.
  Now, among the many reforms in H.R. 1, one would require that 
candidates for President and Vice President must disclose their tax 
returns. Giving voters personal tax information has been a tradition of 
Presidents since 1973, when Richard Nixon, of all people, released his 
returns and said: ``People have got to know whether or not their 
President is a crook.'' On that issue, I agree with Mr. Nixon.
  Now, that seems to be the thinking of my home State legislature, too, 
which has been working on legislation that would require any 
Presidential or Vice Presidential candidate who wants to be on the 
ballot in Illinois to release their tax returns. They think that the 
people have the right to know the true character of the person who will 
sit in the White House.
  Mr. Speaker, we have got to know if our President is a crook. I would 
like to see the Senate take up this bill.
  And if they are unable to follow in the great leadership of this 
House, I

[[Page H2723]]

hope that other States will follow the great leadership of the State of 
Illinois.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Butterfield). Members are reminded to 
refrain from engaging in personalities toward the President.

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