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.
That doesn't pay the bills...
Hey if it wasn’t for our own in house Typhoid Mary pumping all of Trumps opponents out of existence he may not have ended up the presumptive nominee. LOL!
You don't know how hard it is to do a three article a day gig. It's a lot easier to do it in the middle of the night, since you don't have to worry about amateur eager beavers stepping all over your just-finished article post. :)
Only Liberals trust the IRS.
Explain to the Posters here WHY Trump should release his Income Taxes outside of being shamed into it.
How does that benefit him? In fact, how does that benefit the People who have decided to demand it?
What purpose does it serve outside of looking for a Gotcha in a pile of Tax Forms three feet high to try and beat Trump down Politically?
Now, why would Trump's competition, the GOPe and the DemoncRats want to do that? Very simple, they hate his Guts.
If Trump goes ahead and releases any information he should just give them the page that shows Adjusted Income and Taxes paid. If that doesn't satisfy them, it will only prove my point.
Trump need not disclose his LEGAL Business Dealings and expose his Business Associates to such scrutiny.
He owns a PRIVATELY HELD COMOANY, not a stake in a Publicly Held Company.
He is beholden to nobody but himself and that certainly pisses people off now doesn't it?
I'm a Cruz guy, but crap like this and Cruz's flailing Campaign are pushing me closer to my second choice, Donald Trump.
Cruz insinuating Trump is hiding his Tax Forms because he is involved in Fraud with no evidence of the kind does not sit well with me. What is he saying, Trump should Testify against himself? That sure is ridiculous for a Lawyer, any Lawyer to suggest.
kind of reflects on his lawyerliness, or lack thereof.
Not only that.
I was typing too fast and misspelled “COMPANY”. LOL
Alice Kravitz had nothing on the present lineup, looking for something, anything to point to and shriek, "see! look, he's a communist crook insider amnesty lecherous senile idiot low IQ failed businessman wanna be dictator Mussolini."
Trouble is, we have a hundred of them already in the senate, and two are vying for position in this primary.
Take a moment, and re-read or listen to what Donald said
He said he can not release his tax returns because his attorney advises him not to. Because of the ongoing IRS audit.
Sounds like great advice
My attorney says to do something or not to do something, I do what they recommend.
And my opinion, his tax returns are none of our business anyways
He said he can not release his tax returns because his attorney advises him not to. Because of the ongoing IRS audit.
Sounds like great advice
My attorney says to do something or not to do something, I do what they recommend.
And my opinion, his tax returns are none of our business anyways
Exactly right. And, JimRob agrees.
What does that mean?
It goes right up to the W. Hut !!!
Will you people stop worrying about this? :)
Donald WILL make his records available. There’s plenty of time. He has his reasons for not presenting them immediately.
I believe he is a patriot who truly loves America. He is an astonishingly brilliant businessman, CEO. He will surround himself per cabinet and advisers with the most brilliant and capable the U.S. has to offer.
He WILL get things done, not just bloviate about it. He will take America back again and make it great again.
That’s the kind of man we need to run this country.
But regardless of who wins the nomination, we MUST vote for him. We CANNOT stand another four years of Democrat destruction. This is our last chance.
Republicans MUST retake the presidency.
Those who stayed home, voted ‘write in’ or third party helped put the Muslim/Marxist in power TWICE.
Please think hard about this and get out and VOTE!
Too many people are svengali'd by this guy. A long time clinton supporter, pro-abortion, pro-deblasio, pro-guncontrol, pro-tax. You can't see that he's selling u what you want to hear now, in the primary, and he'll do what the hell he wants in the general. You thought the GOP was beytrayal, you just wait.
Check out this non-political expose of the mind games and let me know what you think. I can't believe we're about to nominate this guy.
With all due respect, Snerdley, you are wrong.
Donald will present his records and they will be faultless.
He is an American patriot who loves his country.
He will not let us down.
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