"THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HAVE GOT TO KNOW WHETHER THEIR PRESIDENT IS A CROOK." - RICHARD NIXON
WE, THE PEOPLE, DEMAND DONALD TRUMP RELEASE HIS
WE, THE PEOPLE, DEMAND DONALD TRUMP RELEASE HIS
TAX RETURNS.
One of those areas is Trump's tax returns, which he has refused to release after repeatedly promising to do so throughout the campaign.
Here is the short list of those promises:
January 24, 2016: "We're working on that now. I have very big returns, as you know, and I have everything all approved and very beautiful, and we'll be working that over in the next period of time....We're working on it right now, and at the appropriate time you'll be very satisfied."
February 25, 2016: "I will absolutely give my return, but I'm being audited now for two or three years, so I can't do it until the audit is finished, obviously."
Every one of those statements was a lie.
In July, after the Republican party nominated Trump as its Presidential candidate, his spokeswoman, Kelly Anne Conway, stated Trump would not release his tax returns before the presidential election in November. That, too, was a lie.
Finally, on January 23, 2017, days after Trump was sworn in, Conway being sworn in Conway stated in an interview that Trump would not release the returns because "We litigated this all through the election. People didn't care. They voted for him."
With that, the Trump/Bannon administration has concluded the matter of the tax disclosures is no longer an issue. In this, as in so much else, he is badly mistaken.
The refusal to release the returns in no way reflects the reality that public interest remain high and a matter of public interest even if only to quell mounting suspicions about the ethical compromises inherent in Trump's world wide financial entanglements.
A CNN poll conducted in late September and early October found that 73 percent of voters thought Trump should release his tax returns. In January, an ABC News/Washington Post poll found that 74 percent of American adults still thought the public should be able to see the returns.
Here is the short list of those promises:
January 24, 2016: "We're working on that now. I have very big returns, as you know, and I have everything all approved and very beautiful, and we'll be working that over in the next period of time....We're working on it right now, and at the appropriate time you'll be very satisfied."
February 25, 2015: "I would release tax returns....I would certainly show tax returns if it was necessary....I have no objection to certainly showing tax returns."
May 10, 2016: "I'll release. Hopefully before the election I'll release."
September 26, 2016: "I don't mind releasing—I'm under a routine audit. And it'll be released....As soon as the audit's finished, it will be released."
October 9, 2016: "As soon as my routine audit is finished, I'll release my returns. I'll be very proud to. They're actually quite great."Every one of those statements was a lie.
In July, after the Republican party nominated Trump as its Presidential candidate, his spokeswoman, Kelly Anne Conway, stated Trump would not release his tax returns before the presidential election in November. That, too, was a lie.
Finally, on January 23, 2017, days after Trump was sworn in, Conway being sworn in Conway stated in an interview that Trump would not release the returns because "We litigated this all through the election. People didn't care. They voted for him."
With that, the Trump/Bannon administration has concluded the matter of the tax disclosures is no longer an issue. In this, as in so much else, he is badly mistaken.
The refusal to release the returns in no way reflects the reality that public interest remain high and a matter of public interest even if only to quell mounting suspicions about the ethical compromises inherent in Trump's world wide financial entanglements.
A CNN poll conducted in late September and early October found that 73 percent of voters thought Trump should release his tax returns. In January, an ABC News/Washington Post poll found that 74 percent of American adults still thought the public should be able to see the returns.
There are no legal means to force the release of the returns. But the mistrust and skepticism engendered by this egregious reneging on a very specific and easily fulfilled campaign promise coupled with the arrogant high-handed manner in which the Trump administration refuses even address the issue despite wide spread and repeated demands that he do so, continues to erode public confidence in the Trump Presidency.
It's not clear what Trump is hiding so we are left to speculate. It may be that he pays no income tax. This seems likely in view of his smug campaign boast that paying no taxes makes him "smart". It may be that he gives little to charity. That would not be surprising. The Trump name has rarely, if ever, been associated with philanthropy. Or, maybe, he's not as rich as he claims to be. That last issue may be the biggest obstacle to forcing disclosure by this pathologically insecure man/child/bully.
Or, most importantly. the returns could reveal his many potential and real financial conflicts of interest.
It's not clear what Trump is hiding so we are left to speculate. It may be that he pays no income tax. This seems likely in view of his smug campaign boast that paying no taxes makes him "smart". It may be that he gives little to charity. That would not be surprising. The Trump name has rarely, if ever, been associated with philanthropy. Or, maybe, he's not as rich as he claims to be. That last issue may be the biggest obstacle to forcing disclosure by this pathologically insecure man/child/bully.
Or, most importantly. the returns could reveal his many potential and real financial conflicts of interest.
Trump's refusal to release his tax returns before the election, broke with the practice of every major-party presidential nominee since 1980. He should either do so now or accept that his administration will remain under a permanent cloud of suspicion.
In the immortal words of his lineal predecessor, Richard Nixon said, "The American people have a right to know if their President is a crook".
If Trump wants to maintain (or reclaim) any claim to the legitimacy of his administration and prove that he is not a crook, he should release his tax returns now. Today.
HL 2/8/17
In the immortal words of his lineal predecessor, Richard Nixon said, "The American people have a right to know if their President is a crook".
If Trump wants to maintain (or reclaim) any claim to the legitimacy of his administration and prove that he is not a crook, he should release his tax returns now. Today.
HL 2/8/17
1 comment:
I couldn't agree more. In the words you reminded and repulsed me with, "I am not a crook." was said by the President forced to resign. This same outcome can't come soon enough for me.
Trump's blatant unwillingness to release his tax returns is a reminder to me, for one, of what his son, Donald, Jr. said earlier in the campaign, when not muzzled. "We get most of our money from Russian banks."
Most recently, this same genius ssid, "heat up the ovens" as worldwide scorn
was emotionally felt towards The House of Trump (Drumpf) as a response to his omission on Holocaust Remembrance Day of the six million martyred Jewish victims by the Jewish son-in-law and Presidential advisor, Jared Kushner. I could expect it if this speech was written by the onerous Steve Bannon.
Until these taxes are released, I, for one American.believes nothing this so-called President or any members of his Cabinet says.
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