Conservative Pundits Wonder If Romney’s Hiding Something In Unreleased Tax Returns

[NNN0LHI]

http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/07/conservative-romney-taxes-returns-hiding-something.php

Pema Levy- July 15, 2012, 3:47 PM

It’s a bad sign for Mitt Romney when conservatives begin to question why the presumptive Republican nominee won’t release more of his tax returns. But on Sunday, that’s what happened. Conservative analysts joined Democrats in wondering whether Romney is just being impolitic in not releasing several years worth of returns — or whether he’s trying to hide something.

Democrats have been calling on Mitt Romney to release more than one year of his tax returns with a series of web videos and public statements. So far, he has released his 2010 returns and an estimate of his 2011 returns.

To politicos across the ideological spectrum, Romney’s unwillingness to release anything beyond these two years raises the question: if it’s worth the bad press to keep the tax returns private, they must contain something worse.

“The cost of not releasing the returns are clear,” said conservative columnist George Will, on ABC’s “This Week.” “Therefore, he must have calculated that there are higher costs in releasing them.”

[democrat_patriot]

1. Now we frame it: "Even IF he releases them, he's lost the trust of the American People."

Too little too late.

How secretive will Romney be as President?

(Assumig he releases only 2 years) "Questions still remain..." "Inadequate release to create a whole picture of the man.."


Plus all the stuff we get from seeing them. The 'scrubbing' of 2011 is going to be furious - legal probably - but furious.

[cilla4progress]

2. What will happen

if his candidacy crumbles?

[yellerpup]

3. I doesn't matter.

They don't expect to win with Romney. Keep close tabs on what happens locally in vote counting and Rs outspending Ds in advertising. Then watch the voting machines!

[Beartracks]

9. "Watch the voting machines" locally. Good advice. n/t

[Brewinblue]

15. Vote counting

I'm recounting ballots here in Wisconsin this coming week for the Walker recall election. Should be fun!

[yellerpup]

22. Thanks so much for being there for all of us.

Nothing is more important to our country's future than integrity at the ballot box.

[freshwest]

28. Give us the update when you guys are done, okay? And welcome to DU.

[ThoughtCriminal]

4. If they show illegal, immoral or job killer investing.

That's OK. He "was" a CEO, and ethics and laws are for "Common" people. Just good old God-Blessed Capitalism that only an Atheist Commie would object to.

Here's what they are really worried about:

If they reveal that he gave money to anything remotely "Liberal" he'll have to step down.

[malaise]

6. They are also worried about the conflict of interest with the

Olympic job, no taxes for year and all that hidden money.

[Thrill]

5. I'm surprised no one in the McCain camp

has leaked what was in there.

McCain can't stand Mittens.

[malaise]

7. McGramps silence is even better

[amandabeech]

30. I'm loving it.

I didn't vote for McCain and never will vote for a Rep for anything but local office when I know that the Dem is a disaster, which has happened once or twice.

However, McCain is a better class of R than Rmoney. So was Rmoney's Dad, for that matter. The late Michigan governor released something like a dozen years of his taxes. Rmoney's Dad AND Mom (more liberal than Dad) must be rolling over in their graves.

[spanone]

8. why isn't the media knocking on mr mccain's door

[russspeakeasy]

12. Maybe they don't want to listen to his 18 hour line of bullshit

regarding his military service.

[Raster]

19. Team McCaiin supposedly had access to 23 years of returns from Rmoney when....

they were vetting Rmoney for possible VP.

There is probably some type of agreement stating the McCain camp would never release personal and financial information from those candidates being vetted for VP.

[Ruby the Liberal]

10. No question they have, but they need to be careful

Those records weren't released without NDA agreements.

Edit - clarity - Willard wouldn't have released those documents to them without requiring NDAs signed.

[Kalidurga]

11. Well you are right...

But, why would such an upstanding citizen need a NDA?

[lunatica]

13. He may have stipulated that his taxes be kept legally secret

plus, whoever controls the purse strings is probably telling the McCain people what to do or not do.

[JanMichael]

26. We don't know that they didn't

The timing of the news, the TV ad, etc? Maybe they did-

[AnnieK401]

14. McCain chose Sarah Palin

after seeing the returns. Does that not say something?

[Raster]

20. Bingo! I think we may have a winner!

Please hold your cards until this bingo is verified. Thank you.

[Stuart G]

16. sooner or later the truth will come out...often later than sooner.

Eisenhower had a mistress..and so did FDR..much later..
Who killed JFK?......................................... we don't know yet...???who was behind Oswald???.
The truth about Romney.. much sooner than we expected..

and very soon perhaps his taxes???

[cstanleytech]

17. Maybe he has a mistress on the side and is trying to hide any funds he

may have gave her? After all Edwards surely isnt the only major politician with one.

[kestrel91316]

18. Maybe he has extra WIVES on the side......

[freshwest]

29. More likely than mistresses. Aw, Freepers will say we don't respect the 1st Amendment...

Their biggest problem is that we respect all the Amendments.

[Jessy169]

21. What if Romney releases tax returns back to 2003

and they are squeaky clean? Romney gets to strut out the message that he has fully complied with releasing "the last ten years" of tax returns (or close enough), and conservative pundits and Alabama governors stfu and instead praise Romney for clearing the mess up. End of story?

Democrats would say come on, where's the 1999-2002 returns because we know that's where the juicy stuff is. Republicans say, hey Democrats, you're just on a fishing trip -- just like you accused us of being in the Fast & Furious investigation. General public can't take the intolerable level of BS anymore, tune it all out, become tone-deaf to Demo demands for tax returns.

What are the chances that Kristol and the conservatives whom the Romney campaign has labelled "bedwetters" are all part of an elaborately orchestrated scheme to let the air out of this issue now and end up with what they wanted all along, which is to NOT release 1999 - 2002 returns.

That's probably a stupid plan and has no chance of working, but at this point I am wondering what does Karl Rove have up his sleeve? It is hard to believe that Karl Rove didn't see this one coming and get a plan in place to deal with it. True, they all DO look like a bunch of panicked fools running around right now, trying to figure out what to do. But it could all just be staged drama.

Thinking too much?

[magical thyme]

23. overthinking it. 1. If they were squeaky clean he would have released them

right from the get-go, so that when the Dems asked for more, they'd be more justified in claiming fishing trip.

2. The one almost two years he did release are already considered icky due to Swiss, Cayman Island and other overseas tax shelters.

And those were done with an eye to running for Pres.

[Ikonoklast]

24. He would have done so already.

You never let your opponent set the agenda for you, you hit back immediately.

Romney cannot without leaving himself open to some troubling legal problems.

[cindyperry2010]

27. truthfully were that the

case he would be screaming and throwing them at us saying see i am good. there is a there there but not sure what it is unless a bunch of hidden tax investments or something. he has either gotten terrible adivce that americans do not want to see a stinking rich guy run or he is hiding something.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

25. George Will, William Crystal, Haley Barbour, Alabama Governor Robert Bentley,

Republican strategist Ana Navarro, Matthew Dowd have all suggested that Romney release his returns so far. There might be some right wingers I'm leaving out.