Debate renews focus on Trump’s tax returns

JERSEY CITY, N.J. — Donald Trump said “you don’t learn that much from tax returns,” a dubious assertion that has renewed attention on his refusal to release documents that could shed light on his tax rate, charitable giving and foreign business ties.

Trump’s Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, was happy to seize on the issue, questioning in the first presidential debate what Trump is trying to hide by bucking decades of campaign tradition in keeping his 1040s private. She referred to the several years in which it is known that Trump paid nothing in federal taxes. “So if he’s paid zero, that means zero for troops, zero for vets, zero for schools or health,” Clinton said.

Republican Trump responded by saying avoiding taxes “makes me smart,” adding whatever money he did pay “would be squandered” anyway.

Trump told CNN after the Monday night debate that “of course” he’s paid federal taxes in other years, but Democrats pounced just the same.

“So what does that make the rest of us? Suckers, unintelligent, dumb?” asked Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat.

Since 1976, all major party nominees for president have released their tax returns. Clinton has disclosed nearly 40 years’ worth. Both candidates for vice president, Democrat Tim Kaine and Trump’s running mate, Mike Pence, have released theirs, too.

A recent Associated Press-GfK poll found 45 percent of likely but undecided voters said it was very or extremely important for candidates to release their tax returns. But voters are divided along party lines. While more than six in 10 Democrats said it was very or extremely important, fewer than three in 10 Republicans said the same.

The billionaire New Yorker has said for months that because his tax returns are under a “routine audit” and have been for nearly 15 years, he is following the advice of his attorneys by keeping them private.

Former IRS officials have expressed skepticism that anyone would be audited so frequently, and they and other tax experts said there’s no prohibition on Trump releasing his returns even if he is.