We think Mitt Romney should release years of his tax returns. We've said so here - and also here. It's far from the most important issue facing Americans this election, but voters deserve more insight into how a man who wants to be president earned his money and participated in the tax process. For better or worse, disclosing those things is part of running for the White House these days, as candidates including Barack Obama have understood.
But Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid took the call for transparency to an inappropriate place this week. On Tuesday, he told the Huffington Post that Romney may be hiding his tax returns because he didn't pay any taxes for a decade. Reid didn't have evidence of this, of course, but he supposedly has a source - a Bain investor who said he had the inside scoop.
"He didn't pay taxes for 10 years! Now, do I know that that's true? Well, I'm not certain," Reid said. "But obviously he can't release those tax returns. How would it look?" ...
On Wednesday, Reid dug in while talking to reporters. "I am not basing this on some figment of my imagination," Reid said. "I have had a number of people tell me that." (Update, 2:40 p.m.: He tripled down by repeating the 10-year claim on the Senate floor Thursday.)
Who might those people be telling Reid about Romney's taxes? Reid declined to say. "I don't think the burden should be on me," he said.
Actually, yes, it should. What Reid is doing goes beyond merely wondering why Romney is stubbornly secretive. It's an accusation of specific behavior. Even if Romney's campaign denies the 10-year claim - which it has - the charge feeds the narrative that the candidate must really have something bad to hide.
Reid, meanwhile, gets to play the messenger, not the accuser. But we recognize this "I'm not saying it's true, but let's find out for sure" ploy. It's the same maneuver Republican candidates use to appease and stoke extremists about President Obama's birth certificate. It's clumsy, shameful politicking.
Peter St. Onge
But Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid took the call for transparency to an inappropriate place this week. On Tuesday, he told the Huffington Post that Romney may be hiding his tax returns because he didn't pay any taxes for a decade. Reid didn't have evidence of this, of course, but he supposedly has a source - a Bain investor who said he had the inside scoop.
"He didn't pay taxes for 10 years! Now, do I know that that's true? Well, I'm not certain," Reid said. "But obviously he can't release those tax returns. How would it look?" ...
On Wednesday, Reid dug in while talking to reporters. "I am not basing this on some figment of my imagination," Reid said. "I have had a number of people tell me that." (Update, 2:40 p.m.: He tripled down by repeating the 10-year claim on the Senate floor Thursday.)
Who might those people be telling Reid about Romney's taxes? Reid declined to say. "I don't think the burden should be on me," he said.
Actually, yes, it should. What Reid is doing goes beyond merely wondering why Romney is stubbornly secretive. It's an accusation of specific behavior. Even if Romney's campaign denies the 10-year claim - which it has - the charge feeds the narrative that the candidate must really have something bad to hide.
Reid, meanwhile, gets to play the messenger, not the accuser. But we recognize this "I'm not saying it's true, but let's find out for sure" ploy. It's the same maneuver Republican candidates use to appease and stoke extremists about President Obama's birth certificate. It's clumsy, shameful politicking.
Peter St. Onge
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