In his speech to the Democratic convention on Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid slammed Mitt Romney again for not disclosing more than two years of tax returns.
“Never in modern American history has a presidential candidate tried so hard to hide himself from the people he hopes to serve,” Reid told convention-goers.
Speaking live with Hardball host Chris Matthews in Charlotte, Reid reiterated his criticisms. “Who is Mitt Romney? Why has he tried so hard to hide himself from the American people? Why won’t he show us his tax returns? Why won’t he talk about himself?” Reid asked. “He won’t, because he can’t, because if he did the American people would understand who was running for president and they wouldn’t like it.”
Reid alleged recently that he'd been told by an unnamed source that Romney hadn't paid income taxes for ten years. Reid wouldn’t respond directly to Matthews’s questions about whether or not he had probable cause to believe that, but said that due to offshore tax havens, Romney “did not invest in American institutions, so he got out of paying in taxes.”
Harry Reid still hitting Romney on tax returns
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Tue Sep 4, 2012 8:50 PM EDT
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Anyone that would believe a real estate lawyer from Nevada had best get their head examined. This same Harry Reid who made his accusations of having knowledge from an "anonymous source" that Romney paid no taxes for a 10 year period has never realeased a single tax return of his own. And his Senate Majority Leadership position and long career in the Congress of the United States allowed him to become a multi-millionaire due to his advance inside knowledge on rail and road building and expansion plans, and airfields in his state, and his subsequent read estate deals to capitalize on that knowledge. A very old and shady game played by scum politicians like himselff in the still Wild West!
Again, the IRS has never had a problem with the Romney's Blind Trust returns, and his prior Election Commission disclosures running and serving as Governor of Massachusetts, running a primary campaign for President in 2007/8, and again with his present campaign's Federal election campaign commission disclosures and tax returns for the past two years (2011's to be finalized in Oct, before the election, but already released in preliminary form) have never been met with any objections or concerns.
This election is going to be settled on three issues primarily: 1) who has the best plan for our in the doldrums economic state, 2) whose policies will best ease the pain of the high and getting higher Unemployment Rate, and 3) begin to stop the runaway deficit spending of over $1 Trillion a year under this current failed President, and balance the budget as soon as possible, setting up the necessary conditions for paying down some of the huge National Debt of $16 Trillion, with over $5.6 Trillion of which has just been added in 3&1/2 years of Barrack Obama's Administration, and still rising!
Listening to Mayor Castro from San Antonio, and he is no where near as authentic as Gov. Martinez of New Mexico. So far, i saw much more diversity in the Republican speakers of last week's 1st night of Republican Convention than in this Democrat Convention.
First off, Keith. Leading with an Ad Hominem attack on an entire group of people (Real Estate lawyers from Nevada) gives a pretty good signal that what follows will be a fairly weak argument. That's what Ad Hominem attacks are for. If you can't debate someone's point, attack them personally. It's BS Spin 101.
Second, anonymous sources are used regularly in journalism because many people wouldn't come forward without guarantees of anonymity for fear of reprisals by the person they are speaking out against.
Third, Romney's claims that he doesn't have any control of his "blind trust" are debunked by footage of Romney himself from 10 years ago saying that blind trusts are a classic ruse to insulate someone from accountability for their investments. here's the vid on that. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9DVKWhPibw
Fourth, any hope of having a fully informed opinion about Romney and his track record as a basis for electing him has been foiled by Romney himself. He went to extraordinary lengths to eliminate any records from his time as Mass. Governor and did the same for his tenure running the Olympics. Even the 1 year of taxes he did release were incomplete. At every turn, this guy hides who he is from the public. The one thing he can't hide is his belief that he should be immune from questions, accountability and even the slightest bit of transparency in his dealings.
Republicans are okay with that though. All they were looking for was a candidate with enough working digits to sign whatever they send his way.
Anonymous sources are used in journalism not politics nor business. Without proof of an accusation in business it is called slander and could be challenged to provide his proof. Mitt won't do that because the majority of the public know Harry is dirty. There is a big difference from a new paper and two business men.
Wearing those blinders of yours so tightly will always give you that false impression.
what plan, if Romney has a plan, ur the only he told it to, share it with me, im not privileged to speak directly to God...
and as far as his taxes are concerned, all he has to do is show them and make everyone talking about them look like total fools, his campaign would rocket to the top and never look back
but he cant because he is dirtier then sin and would be totally exposed, he cant fool fools like you to vote for him, so he will keep it a mystery cuz he has a better chance of winning this way, otherwise the solution is the simplest one on earth, but this simple solution, is toxic to his health
to Eyes wide Shut...lol
all Mitt the twit has to do is show his taxes and make all of us including Reid look like the fools that we would become, his campaign would shoot so high he couldnt loose and u would look like a genius, but alas Mitt cant, it would be like testifying against himself, since ur into lawyering, it would be like a person accused of murder, has the proof he isnt the killer, but wont produce it to make a point, totally insane my man, he might even loose the red states, now that would be a real insult to republicanism and maybe ur eyes will truly open then
"Mitt Romney Is A JACKASS and A Liar " !!!!!
Thanks, kid! Now go back to you video games and heavy metal music! Your mom will be calling you for breakfast in the morning!
what are you going back 2...the planet Kolob, BEAM ME UP SCOTTIE
I get the impression that MSNBC is very proud of the fact that Harry Reid visited with Chris Mathews. I'm OK with that, but, I still wish that the Senate Majority Leader had been more effective, in the way he ran the Senate.
you mean like mitch mcconnell, im here to make sure you fail affectiveness
what i don't understand is why do you want to be president of a country that you don't even want to pay your share of taxes to.
Superb point, presented with piercing clarity. Thank you!
Why not? That way, you can give all your friends the same tax breaks you enjoy.
Over $2 million dollars in capital gain and dividend taxes annually isn't Romney's FAIR share? You want more revenue, get it from the 50% of tax filers who pay "0", Ziltch, Nada..though they benefit the most for the federal government social service spending.
The obstructionist GOP has been a bane for Democrats for the last four years. I hope Democrats take back the House so at least for two years President Obama has a majority in the two Houses to get things done. Harry Reid is right about Mitt Romney's tax returns, he needs to make them public because he is running for president not dog catcher. Why does Mitt Romney hide his money in the Cayman Islands, Bermuda, and or Switzerland? If he believes in America why does he not want to keep his money here and pay taxes here? If he thinks he is too good to not want to share his tax returns with the public when he is running on his business experience, then Mitt Romney is not good enough to run for President. The whole issue of what the richest one percent does with its money in these foreign tax shelters is a debate the country needs but the GOP wants to avoid at all costs.
Gwaker, certainly no right wing investagative blog investigated the Romney Blind Trust holdings and found 2.5% only of their moneys are in high yeilding in income alternatives in funds run out of the Cayman Island, Bermuda, and Luxumburg, and asome cash accounts for diversification and protection against a precipitious decline in the US dollar (which we surely are headed for) in a Swiss Bank Account for its AAA rating. 2.5% only, and none of that is tax sheltered, and none of that it at all illegal or shady. I can get the same diversification (and have) from common mutual funds available here in the United States.
Looks like another from the right has broken Grandpa's heart again... This time it's Thomas L. Friedman who's sold out...
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/05/opinion/its-mitts-world.html?hp
He has a big stick, and he is going to use it on Day 1. Or as he put it: “If I’m president of the United States ... on Day 1, I will declare China a currency manipulator, allowing me to put tariffs on products where they are stealing American jobs unfairly.”
That is really cool. Smack China on Day 1. I just wonder what happens on Day 2 when China, the biggest foreign buyer of U.S. debt securities, announces that it will not participate in the next Treasury auction, sending our interest rates soaring. That will make Day 3 really, really cool.
Personally I've always thought Friedman was a bit of a simpleton (particularly the way he analyzed the Iraq War), but them maybe that's what's required to explain things to the simpletons on the right... He's a slow learner, but he does at least understand cause-and-effect.
This just in Cab Driver, the United States, once the leading economy in the world, has slipped to 7th, its fourth declining year in the past 4 years (oh yes, Barrack Obama's people say we are better off today than four years ago). Switzerland remains number #1 (probably for some diversity and protection against the possibility of declining dollar the Reomney's Blind Trust administrators hold a small amount of cash and interest yielding cash equivalents in Swiss Bank Accounts?).
Something has to change. As to Tom Friedman, you want to believe in a guy that wrote a book about the World being FLAT, be my guest, Cab Driver. LOL!
Why is Harry Reid continuing to whip a dead horse? He knows Romney will not give up anymore tax returns. He wants it to look like he supports Obama when he really does not. Neither does Nancy Palosi. Does Romney have only one isssue to expose? I think not. The people of Mass. will tell you the answer to that question. He claims to have a record on job creation. Lets see it. Former Govenor Michael Dukaukas says no! During his term as Govenor 47th out of 50th in the nation. Gov. Daval Patrick is right. Grow a back bone! No one challenges Romney except on issues that are not going anywhere. Obama needs to have Dem Senators and Congressman that are elected not non elected campaign managers speak up on issues. Robert Gibbs no one wants to hear from.
Hello? He's banking on Mitt Romney not releasing any more tax forms! Mitt Romney can't release any more tax forms, and his wife already ADMITTED IT. Have you not been listening?
"It'll just give them more ammunition..."
Ann Romney's words, on camera. These are the same people that collapsed the economy in the first place: the rich republican blue-blood conservatives that want to make money off the American economy, but they don't want to pay back into it.
We are the dumbest country in the world.
Romney would be wise to simply turn over his tax returns. If he had tax shelters of different natures, who cares. As long as they are legal, what is there to hide? We all utilize all the tax shelters we can when we do our taxes. If it is legal, then it's OK. He should just tell the truth and let the chips fall where they may. Hiding makes him look sleazy. The only reason I would withhold the truth, is if I were doing something illegal. Otherwise, let the truth speak for itself. Perhaps there are some questionable "shelters". That is the only conclusion I can consider since there is nothing wrong with legal tax shelters, no matter what island or country they involve.
There may be another reason the tax returns won't be released. Check out the stories in The Guardian and the Belmont, MA newspaper sites regarding his residency. Some questions have arisen whether or not he was a legal Utah resident when he ran for Governor (which would have made him ineligible) and how he voted for Scott Brown in 2010 when he sold his MA house and moved to CA in 2009. This constitutes voter fraud which is a felony in MA. He claims he was "living in his son's basement" despite the fact that he owns at least three houses in three different states. The IRS would not be interested in these possibilities...but the Attorney Genmeral in MA sure would.
First of all, why is Chris Matthews talking to Harry Reid as if he was questioning his and the american peoples`s desire to see Romney's tax returns. The truth of the matter is that releasing those tax records is a matter of character. A man who is running on the platform of patriotism, Americana, apple pie and love for one's motherland but who spent most of his life working against the american dollar by siphoning money to offshore accounts to not pay taxes this country desperately needs and by betting against the american dollar and taking jobs overseas is not someone who is fit to be president. So that question is absolutely valid. If Romney has nothing to hide, then why not release those tax returns?
This isnt about showing proof as if we were in the court of law and this isnt about filling out the necessary paperwork, as Ann Romney Antoinette said with her "we gave you people what you need to know" so you can move on to the next point. This is about character and transparency. The United States is a country, not a corporation Romney is raiding to be its CEO. And do people, including Chris, really think that after all the bold faced LIES Ryan and ROmney have told this far we should just give him the benefit of the doubt and take his word for it that he did pay taxes? Or at least 13%? And for that matter, should we all applaud him for having paid 13% taxes on 250 millions of dollars of wealth while most americans making 40k pay 35%?
The question of Romney's tax return is extremely relevant and I wish these hosts would stop trying to question why we need it. The american people need to know who Romney is - which certainly is not an honest man: Romney is a liar and a corporate raider who got rich not paying his fair share of taxes, bankrupting companies, loading them up with debt and then laying off people all the while lining his pockets. A 77,000 dollar tax write for his horse? That is who is he is. Mitt Romney is not the american dream, he is the american nightmare.
The New York Times had reported weeks ago that Romny had paid his taxes. It's all about jobs, jobs, jobs...Give it up eith the diversionary tactics, they're old.
jobs, jobs, jobs???..government doesnt create jobs, isnt that whe all the brick heads say, i might be diversionary, ur just a plain old hypocrite
Mitt, as everyone knows, could clear up the hidden tax returns issue by simply releasing his taxes; in the meantime Harry Reid and the rest of us are free to publicly speculate, opine about Mitt's returns.
And so could Harry Reid by releasing his? But more important, how about Barrack Obama releasing his College and University Transcripts and admission and finance forms? Are the rumors true that he gravitated to known Marxist professors at Occidental College and Columbia University? How much help did he get for his affirmative action status...and did he apply for admission to Occidental College as a foreign exhange student under the name of his adopting step father in Indonesia? How much help did he get from Rev. Wright's Church and the Chicago Political Macine for his Harvard Law School expenses, including a pricey Boston Bay apartment (he had been supposedly working after Columbia University graduation in Chicago for the Church and Unions Community organizing for a self reported $10,000 only a year prior to attending Harvard)?
Lots of questions, and of course, the liberal media didn't vet his candidate of "Hope and Change" in 2008, and aren't interested in vetting him now, either.
Its a two way street, folks.
The horse is dead.
its so simple, all Romney has to do is show his taxes and show everyone what fools they have been, it would turn his hole campaign around and rocket to the top instantly...but he cant, because he is dirtier then sin and if he doesnt show them he can still get votes from the fools, but if he did show them would automatically loose, when the cards are on the table, the only fool is Romney
The game Reid played was asking for 10 more years of tax returns, from the 2010 and 2011 years that the Romneys had pledged to released (2010 is already released, 2012 has been released in preliminary form, final form after they are submitted in Oct to the IRS, but before the election. Reid lied his head off about the reason for asking for 10 more years of tax returns saying some anonymous source told him Romney had not paid taxes for a 10 year period (that would have included his years running the Olympics, campaigning for Governor and servicing as Governor of Massachusetts, and campaigning for the Republican nomination in 2007/2008, and at face value that claim of no taxes paid was absurd). What Reid was angling for was Romney's tax returns going back to 1999 when he left Bain Capital to take on running the Olympics, for the Democrats, who had been on the attack over some Bain Capital decisions on companies they had subsequently had dealings with after Feb, 1999 had been tried to be pinned on Romney, which even the Washington Post and Politico Fact Checkers had found to be untrue, and a attempted deception of the public interest. The dirtyness and sin of slandar is all in the political game that Reid and the Obama Chicago pols run campaign for relection are playing, Dean. And that is patently obvious.