Should Trump release his tax returns?

[Pangean]

Trump has been reticent to release his tax returns for changing reasons.

"Previously, Trump blamed an ongoing audit for his failure to release returns, an excuse that was questioned by tax experts. As recently as Sunday, Trump pledged to release the returns “as fast as the auditors finish.” Last October, Trump said he would release his tax returns once Hillary Clinton released her emails. Now, Trump adds that he’s not planning to release them because “there’s nothing to learn from them” and voters aren’t interested in the information."
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/20...-wont-release/

Also see: http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/11/politi...p-tax-returns/

"Still, Trump has also refused to release his tax returns from previous years, which are no longer under IRS audit."

Should he release them? If not why not. If so why? Is he hiding something by not releasing them?

[Rend Blackhand]

People releasing tax information is bad precedent. His financial affairs are a private matter, much like yours and mine.

[alexw]

People releasing tax information is bad precedent. His financial affairs are a private matter, much like yours and mine.

Speaketh a resident of that blacklisted tax-haven Guernsey.

[some guy]

He bashed Romney 4 years when he didn't release them in a timely manner. He promised he would release them, lied about not being able to release them while under audit. Makes one wonder what he is hiding.

[Pangean]

People releasing tax information is bad precedent. His financial affairs are a private matter, much like yours and mine.

Perhaps but Trump was pretty supportive of the idea for others.

"It’s also a sharp break from Trump’s own advice to Mitt Romney. In January 2012, Trump told Greta Van Sustren that Romney “was hurt really very badly” by his initial refusal to release his tax returns. He advised Romney to “release them now.”
Romney released his 2010 return and a summary of his 2011 return later that month. After Romney released his full 2011 tax return in September, Trump praised Romney for releasing his returns and said they were “very honorably done.” "
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/20...-wont-release/

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He bashed Romney 4 years when he didn't release them in a timely manner. He promised he would release them, lied about not being able to release them while under audit. Makes one wonder what he is hiding.

Especially when he won't release the ones no longer under audit as well.

[Cthulhu 2020]

People releasing tax information is bad precedent. His financial affairs are a private matter, much like yours and mine.

A president's personal life is very much relevant. If they manage their own affairs poorly or illegally, then they're going to be a poor president.

[Kujako]

I think he's embarrassed about how little he actually has compared to his boasts about how rich he is.

[Endus]

While I agree he shouldn't be obligated to, given that he's said others should do so in prior campaigns it would be ethically hypocritical of him to refuse to now that his tax returns are the info in question.

[Cthulhu 2020]

While I agree he shouldn't be obligated to, given that he's said others should do so in prior campaigns it would be ethically hypocritical of him to refuse to now that his tax returns are the info in question.

It was only a few months ago that Trump said others should release their tax returns, and his supporters all jumped on the bandwagon that was important that we know their tax return information. Now that it's Trump's turn, they're claiming it's not important.

Yay politics.

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I think he's embarrassed about how little he actually has compared to his boasts about how rich he is.

"Take what Trump says he's worth, divide that by four, then take that number and cut it in half and you're probably closer to the truth."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hq0zw0hPoUM

Not the first time someone has called Trump on his lying.

[Kujako]

While I agree he shouldn't be obligated to, given that he's said others should do so in prior campaigns it would be ethically hypocritical of him to refuse to now that his tax returns are the info in question.

I'm still waiting on his proof that Obama isn't a US citizen.

[Grogo]

People releasing tax information is bad precedent. His financial affairs are a private matter, much like yours and mine.

Bullshit. When you are running for President you are also being vetted, all the Candidates released their information. He sure sounds like he is hiding something. If he had released his tax information and another candidate did not he would be the harshest critic. Trump is such a phony blow-hard. He is definitely hiding something.

[Felya]

People releasing tax information is bad precedent. His financial affairs are a private matter, much like yours and mine.

The precedent was set about 50 years ago by George Romney.

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I think he's embarrassed about how little he actually has compared to his boasts about how rich he is.

I think the issue will be how much debt he had in early 2000s and how the tax payer bailed him out.

[Gheld]

Why not? He's the Teflon Don. No manner of controversy ever seems to stick to him.

[Kujako]

I think the issue will be how much debt he had in early 2000s and how the tax payer bailed him out.

Or how about how he's collecting matching campaign funds for the interest free loan he gave himself.

[Endus]

It was only a few months ago that Trump said others should release their tax returns, and his supporters all jumped on the bandwagon that was important that we know their tax return information. Now that it's Trump's turn, they're claiming it's not important.

Yay politics.

That's what I mean.

If his attitude had been "Personal tax returns should be kept private, and I'll defend anyone who wants to do so" all along, fine. Refusing to reveal his would be in line with that policy.

Instead, he's been insisting that everyone else should reveal theirs, and he doesn't get to cry foul when that same expectation is turned back upon himself.

[Deleted]

People releasing tax information is bad precedent. His financial affairs are a private matter, much like yours and mine.

Financial affairs stop being a private matter when you constantly and very publicly boast about how incredibly wealthy you are. If his main selling point for becoming president is how great he is with money, the public deserves proof that he is in fact as good with money as he claims. They also deserve proof that he's been contributing his fair share of tax to the nation he wants to lead.

[Felya]

Why not? He's the Teflon Don. No manner of controversy ever seems to stick to him.

Probebly true... but, the fact that he is supposed to be so open and that nothing sticks, does imply there is something foul going on...

[Naxere]

I never got a hard-on for seeing someones tax returns like some people apparently do. Am I missing out?

[Pangean]

I never got a hard-on for seeing someones tax returns like some people apparently do. Am I missing out?

In this case yes. Deadbeat Donnie demands others release their tax records and refuses to do the same. Some say he is hiding something about his real wealth and it's not like he doesn't play games with official paperwork.


"An attempt by Donald Trump to slash the property tax bill on a golf club outside New York City may be undermined by records indicating that he previously said the property was worth 35 times more than the value he is now trying to convince a judge to approve.

The Republican presidential frontrunner is suing the town of Ossining in Westchester County to reduce the taxes on Trump National Golf Club, a 147-acre property with a lavish clubhouse and 18-hole course whose managers are separately accused of causing floods that led to $240,000 worth of damage to local public facilities.

"Donald Trump bought the Briarcliff Manor golf course at foreclosure for about $8m in the mid-1990s. Trump’s lawsuit in county court argues that the luxurious private club, which he bought in foreclosure for about $8m in the mid-1990s before spending what he claimed at the club’s opening event was another $45m in improvements, has been unfairly assessed and is in fact worth only $1.4m.

Trump’s new valuation, however, contrasts with the 92-page financial disclosure document that he released to the US government as he embarked on his audacious campaign for the presidency last year. Trump listed the Westchester club and its manicured links as an asset worth more than $50m within his purported $10bn fortune.
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2...olf-course-tax

[Mifuyne]

He should release his toupét back into the wild where it belongs.