Taxing our patience
For 40 years, every American President has shown the public at least some of his tax returns. Richard Nixon, setting the modern precedent, did so under audit. Breaking precedent, candidate Donald Trump refused, which he continues to do. The White House is on the cusp of releasing a plan to restructure the laws responsible for raising nearly $4 trillion in revenue annually from American individuals and businesses.
The taxes Trump has paid, and the deductions and loopholes from which he benefits, are directly relevant to assessing whether he and his family would benefit from these reforms. Still, Trump refuses. Understanding that taxes reveal vital info about charitable deductions, sources of income and more to which constituents are entitled, now-Vice President Mike Pence last fall released 10 years of returns, and we expect him to soon show his latest. Still, Trump refuses. Many nominees to federal Cabinet and subCabinet positions in the Department of Homeland Security, Treasury Department and more must routinely submit their tax returns for Senate review. Still, Trump refuses. Questions swirl about what Trump, who sets foreign policy, might owe to Chinese lenders, to Russian oligarchs, and about existing business partnerships and potential conflicts of interest embedded therein, some of which would be revealed in Trump’s 1040s and attachments. Still, Trump refuses. Seventy-four percent of Americans believe Trump should release his tax returns. A record 1,090,879 and counting have signed a White House petition demanding he release his returns. Still, Trump refuses. The excuse he offered during last year’s campaign — that he was prevented because he was under audit, and would “gladly” release them as soon as the scrutiny was complete — has been proven false. He is not under audit for all the years in question. Even if he were, it’s no obstacle.
Trump himself now admits as much, clinging instead to the nanny-nanny-boo-boo response that the election is over and he won.
The American people simply ask their President for an act of common civic decency.
Still, Trump refuses. Yesterday, speaking of Trump’s brand new returns for 2016, White House spokesman Sean Spicer said: “The President is under audit. It continues.”
Asked whether it is time to end the charade that an audit is what’s preventing the President from sharing his returns — and finally admit the obvious fact that, contrary to Trump’s repeated assertions, he’s never releasing them — Spicer said, “We’ll have to get back to you on that.”
The check’s in the mail. Happy Tax Day.