Click here to subscribe today or Login.
WILKES-BARRE — April 15 has been known for years as Tax Day, the deadline by which Americans must file their taxes to the federal government. And while Americans got an extension to Tuesday this year because of the Easter holiday weekend, demonstrators in Wilkes-Barre were out Saturday demanding one thing from the government: that President Donald Trump release his own tax records.
The local rally was put on by Action Together NEPA, a group that was formed after the 2016 presidential election. Members of the group joined their voices with other groups holding similar rallies in cities across the country in response to the fact that all presidential nominees of the past 40 years had released their tax returns — except for Trump.
Diane Dreier, of Dallas, is a member of Action Together NEPA, and helped organize the rally. She said the goal of the group is to fight for various issues affecting the middle class, including the environment, equal pay and, of course, taxes.
“We think the legislators will start to listen to the constituents,” Dreier said, explaining that demonstrations such as this one were an important part of getting that to happen.
Carrying signs reading messages like “SHOW ME THE MONEY,” demonstrators at the rally met at Public Square before marching to the Luzerne County Courthouse, reciting chants demanding to see Trump’s tax returns along the way.
As they marched, the demonstrators were met with several drivers beeping and flashing thumbs-up and peace signs as encouragement, while at least one driver exclaimed out his window that Trump is doing a “great job.”
At the courthouse, a series of orators spoke on the importance of the release of the tax returns, encouraging legislators to force their release.
One of the speakers, Joe Czarnecki, of Dallas, said that it was important to see Trump’s tax returns, as there may be a major conflict of interest on Trump’s part.
“We need to see the tax returns because they may show that he’s in debt to Russian banks,” Czarnecki said to a round of applause from the demonstrators.
Trump has repeatedly refused to release his tax returns, claiming in a press conference on Jan. 11 of this year that the general public does not care about them, and that only reporters do.
One demonstrator at Saturday’s event made it clear that, at the very least, those at the rally care. Lisa Napersky, of Mountain Top, is the co-lead for the Luzerne County chapter of Action Together NEPA, who echoed the theme that it’s important for the returns to be released.
“We hope to draw attention to how secretive the Trump administration has been, and show that it matters,” Napersky said. “We do care, and we want congressional leaders to push Trump to release his tax returns.”
Brian Kerr, of Mountain Top, said that he was at the rally because he was dismayed by current events in the United States.
“I can’t believe the direction the country is headed in,” Kerr said. “I want the Republican Party to start to reign in Trump.”
