OPINION:
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the freshman lawmaker bent on bringing socialism into America’s government — which, by itself, should disqualify her for public office — bragged in a recent tweet that Congress wasn’t requesting, but rather demanding with all expectant air that President Donald Trump release his tax returns.
Here’s a matchup that should prove interesting: Trump versus Ocasio-Cortez. Or, how about this one: The Constitution versus Ocasio-Cortez. That’s the one that matters, after all.
But here’s what transpired. Democrats have been trying for years to gain access to Trump’s tax returns — heck, even Republicans like Mitt Romney have been trying to goad Trump into releasing his personal tax records for years. Remember when Romney, in early 2016, titillated that Trump’s tax records could very well contain a “bombshell”? Right.
Well, House Democrats have recently taken up the mantra once again, sending an official request to the IRS to release Trump’s returns. And Ocasio-Cortez weighed in on Twitter with this: “Congress: ’We’re going to need a copy of the president’s tax returns from 2013-2018.’ ’45: ’No, I’m ’under audit.’ ’Congress: ’We didn’t ask you.’ “
There’s a real bully-tweet for you. In a world run by CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, that’d almost be hate speech, in fact.
But here’s the thing: Where in the Constitution — remember the Constitution? — does it require a president, either campaigning or sitting, to release tax returns?
The constitutional requirement for a U.S. president is that he or she be a natural-born citizen, that he or she have lived in this country for 14 years and that he or she be at least 35 years of age.
All this tax talk is politics.
All this tax stuff is the left trying to get its next “gotcha” moment against the president.
Perhaps if Ocasio-Cortez read the Constitution a bit more, her tone and rhetoric wouldn’t be so demanding and arrogant on this point. Then again, perhaps if Ocasio-Cortez read the Constitution a bit more, and applied it, she wouldn’t be a socialist.
• Cheryl Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com or on Twitter, @ckchumley.
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