Judge temporarily blocks California law requiring presidential tax returns

A federal judge on Thursday issued a preliminary injunction blocking a new California law requiring presidential candidates to release their tax returns in order to appear on the primary ballot, the Los Angeles Times reports.

The big picture: It's an early, but symbolic victory for Trump, who is highly unlikely to win California in 2020 but sued the state last month to block implementation of the law. The injunction is likely to be appealed and the judge could make a final ruling as soon as next week. Earlier on Thursday, Trump sued the Manhattan district attorney over its efforts to obtain his tax returns as part of its investigation into hush money payments made during the 2016 election.

House committees leading the impeachment inquiry against President Trump subpoenaed acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney on Friday.

The big picture: This comes after nearly a month of White House refusals to comply with House investigations into whether Trump jeopardized national security by pressing Ukraine to interfere in the 2020 presidential election, and by withholding security assistance provided by Congress to help Ukraine, per the subpoena. The committees are demanding documents by Oct. 18.

• Stat du jour: 📉 U.S. economy adds 136,000 jobs in September, unemployment rate falls from 3.7% to 3.5%
• S&P 500: 2,952.01 (👆 41.38 — 1.42%)
• 1 2020 thing: 💰Elizabeth Warren's campaign raises $24.6 million in Q3, Steve Bullock raises $2.3 million
• 1 impeachment thing: 🏛️House Democrats subpoena the White House
• 1 tech thing: 🇮🇷 Microsoft says an Iranian group tried to hack a 2020 candidate
• 1 business thing: 🎨 Banksy painting sells for a record $12.2 million

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Sen. Ron Johnson (R.-Wis.) told the Wall Street Journal that he learned of a possible quid pro quo between the Trump administration and Ukraine's government from EU Ambassador Gordon Sondland.

The big picture: Johnson said that he pressed President Trump on the issue, which allegedly linked the distribution of $400 million in U.S. military aid with a Ukrainian investigation of former Vice President Joe Biden, in an Aug. 31 phone call. "He said ... 'No way. I would never do that. Who told you that?'" Johnson told the Journal of his conversation with the president.