Posted on 02/26/2016 2:22:17 PM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
Donald Trump claims he can't release his tax returns until he's done being audited by the IRS. But the federal agency on Friday said that's not true.
"Federal privacy rules prohibit the IRS from discussing individual tax matters. Nothing prevents individuals from sharing their own tax information," a spokesperson for the IRS said in a statement.
The Republican presidential front-runner's refusal to release his tax documents came up repeatedly during Thursday's GOP debate, hours after former Republican nominee Mitt Romney suggested that Trump's reluctance stems from the possibility there might be a "bombshell" in his taxes.
"I want to [release them], except for many years, I've been audited every year," Trump said during the debate. "Twelve years, or something like that. Every year they audit me, audit me, audit me. Nobody gets audited - I have friends that are very wealthy people. They never get audited. I get audited every year. 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. And I think people would understand that."
While the IRS claims nothing is preventing the billionaire from releasing the information, Steven Golburd, an attorney specializing in tax law, told the Washington Post Friday it may indeed be in Trump's best interest to keep them private.
"Think of an audit as an investigation, an on-going investigation," Goldburd said. "Any person that has legal counsel, their legal counsel will say, 'If you're under investigation, you should not be talking to the media, you should not be talking to anyone other than your legal counsel or through your legal counsel.'"
Trump doubled down on his refusal to release his returns during a campaign rally Friday in Fort Worth, Texas. The billionaire told the crowd that Romney didn't release his tax returns until Sept. 21, 2012 - less than two months before voters cast their ballots in the 2012 presidential election.
Looks like you’ve got a good call there.
ROTFL! And his mamma dressed him funny too.
Many of you Trumpanzees are as adolescent as your Glorious Leader.
don't you think it is time that changed?
Whoever came out with this arrogant, thinly-veiled statement (attack) on Trump should be immediately sacked and facing charges and a hefty fine.
CRuznadian, by way of McRomney?
Basically because Trump has much more to dig though and Cartoon-ize. That woman who wanted to keep her home in the Imminent Domain case, the gamblers anonymous sob stories, the 99% vs. the 1% arguments, whatever is in those tax fillings, the divorce statements (remember O used sealed divorce statements against his senate opponent in IL).
The list is nearly endless and that’s not even getting into personal comb-over, oompa-loompa jokes, those will be YOOOGE on SNL!
I’m just not looking forward to our candidate (and their supporters) becoming Palanized and mocked like in ‘08. I’m certainly not going to go willingly into that battle. I’m guessing a couple million others will likely just sit it out than become identified with that, it cost us 2012 too.
He should trust the IRS not to "find" something after they are released. Yeah, right.
Don’t worry Mr Trump, Hillary already has a copy of your tax documents.
BAM!!
Its called VETTING, either we do it, or they will in the General. I’d rather it comes out now when things can be done about it.
I don’t want to see another Perot deliver POTUS to another Clinton.
They have been pulling that crap since Nixon, Ford, Reagan (X2), Bush & Bush.
They long for another four years to do the same, with the election as warmup.
The msm and dnc have developed a chipper shreader that they will use on each and every nominee and elected official that goes contrary to their goals.
Cruz or Rubio do not get a magical pass.
and Mr Trump has all of her emails.
You’re right, lets make it way easier for them.
See you in 2024!
The msm/dnc has been using the same strategy and playbook for these 40 plus years, yet the opposition steps right into it every time.
It is time to throw somebody into thunderdome that has actual experience in the cage, not two freshmen senators who apparently cannot convince enough of their supporters to show up and cast a ballot on their behalf in the primaries.
They first must get enough people on their side to get a chance at the cage.
The dead horse is not going to finish, and the rube , the actual caricature would be better off cruising the blvd picking up young boys for his personal attention.
LOL! They don't know their own procedures, CA.
In my mind, it's a violation of the Hatch Act.
This is more Obamian than Cruzian behind the curtains.
Leni
Well, the IRS was apparently just fine with a very senior Internal Revenue Service manager sharing confidential taxpayer files with unauthorized parties [a serious felony], so why wouldn't the IRS move on to interjecting itself improperly into a Presidential political campaign?
I know you don't actually believe the swill that you write.
Tick-tock. That's the sound of the Cruz gravy train coming to a grinding halt...
So, Trump is a conservative, since he's being targeted, and Cruz is not a conservative, since he's NOT being targeted.
Just ANOTHER solid reason to VOTE TRUMP!
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