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Rally in Salt Lake City calls on Donald Trump to release tax returns

Posted at 6:57 PM, Apr 15, 2017
and last updated 2017-04-15 23:56:23-04

SALT LAKE CITY -- Just a few days ahead of Tax Day on April 18, ralliers across the country gathered to express their frustration with President Donald Trump.

Hundreds of marchers waved signs and chanted in Washington Square in Salt Lake City Saturday afternoon to join the national cause.

They had one simple message for the president.

“Show your taxes!” The crowd yelled.

“Donald Trump has said that the American public don't care (sic) about seeing his taxes,” said Stacy Hughes, who organized the Utah Trump Tax March. “We want to make sure that he understands we do care, that it's important to us.”

The crowd cheered and had fun with their message at the rally. On the steps of the city and county building stood the 10-foot tall “Chicken Don,” a large white inflatable chicken sporting a metallic orange hairdo.

“We're asking, ‘Why is Donald Trump too ‘chicken’ to show his taxes?” Hughes asked, with a smile.

But in all seriousness, the group demanded answers.

“It's deceiving and it's scary,” said Salt Lake City resident Alyssa Nielson.

Aimee Lopez drove from St. George to attend.

“That's just alarming to me, it makes me wonder what he's hiding,” she said.

Edward Hannan had concerns about international relationships as well as potential conflicts of interest.

“Especially given the investigation with the links to Russia, it's very important for us to know,” Hannan said.

Ralliers wrote postcards to President Trump, hoping he reads their message.

“Mr. Trump, I've paid my taxes. Show me yours,” Lopez said.

“I'm an American citizen, and I vote, and it's important to me,” Hannan said.

The march was also meant to tell Congress loud and clear: Change the law to require all presidential candidates to release tax returns for the previous five years.

“We've identified a gap in our Constitution,” Hughes said. “It is our responsibility as this generation to make sure that gap is closed, so that this never happens again.”