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.
But don’t forget they’re auditing him because he’s such a staunch committed Christian.
Cincinatus was a 2-time dictator.
Nothing ever prevented Obama from allowing Hawaii to release his original birth certificate, or allowing Columbia and Harvard to release his transcripts, or allowing the State Department to release his passport records from his college spring break trip to Pakistan, or ...
It was always BS why he claims he can’t release his returns. I’m something is in there that will disqualify him.
To paraphrase Pelosi: I guess we’ll have to nominate him to find out. I hope it won’t hand the presidency to Hillary, or worse, Bernie.
I heard him say that last night so it must be true.
/s
IRS is now getting involved publicly in Presidential elections?
Something tell me you cheer this kind of stuff....as long as it’s not used against your guy, right?
Nothing prevents it but he doesn’t wish to do it under these circumstances. Nor did he say the IRS prevents it.
Trump said his attorneys won’t allow it.
If the IRS drops all audits on Trump, sends him an apology letter and reimburses him for the costs he incurred because of these audits (using the auditors own money and not the taxpayers) then Trump should consider it if he wants to.
Remember - Donald said that there isn’t anything that a tax filing will demonstrate. So you know that’s true because Donald Trump said it.
/s
Why dont all you negative nellies take a breath of fresh air.
There is always some call for tax returns, there is always some delay, and they always get released.
I’d withhold them until Hilary and Huma give full disclosure on the Clinton Foundation racket.
Absolutely, you do know he never lies.
Now who at the IRS, or elsewhere, decided the agency should inject itself into a presidential campaign kerfuffle?
“Nothing ever prevented Obama from allowing Hawaii to release his original birth certificate”
So according to you, Obama is the standard bearer for Trump?
If Donald Trump didn't say it, then it is not true.
/s
I was watching the interview when he said that. Even by Trumpian standards it was bizarre.
I honestly thought he was joking for a moment. Then I realized he believes his followers will take absolutely anything he says as gospel. I'll bet there are Trump supporters here who don't find this assertion even slightly ludicrous.
Hank
I'm sure there's never been a candidate with tax returns more complicated than Trumps.
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