Mitt Romney’s Position as Former GOP Presidential Nominee Ignored by Trump-Supporting ‘Patriots’
Donald Trump is now refusing to release his tax returns before November, and Mitt Romney says that is “disqualifying.” Trump told the AP that he can’t – or won’t – release his returns, despite the fact that it is a huge expectation of every ingle presidential and vice presidential candidate, and only seven candidates, from 1976 to 2012, have ever refused.
“It is disqualifying for a modern-day presidential nominee to refuse to release tax returns to the voters, especially one who has not been subject to public scrutiny in either military or public service,” Romney, correctly, wrote an hour ago on Facebook.
“Tax returns provide the public with its sole confirmation of the veracity of a candidate’s representations regarding charities, priorities, wealth, tax conformance, and conflicts of interest. Further, while not a likely circumstance, the potential for hidden inappropriate associations with foreign entities, criminal organizations, or other unsavory groups is simply too great a risk to ignore for someone who is seeking to become commander-in-chief.”
“Mr. Trump says he is being audited. So?,” Romney rhetorically asks. “There is nothing that prevents releasing tax returns that are being audited. Further, he could release returns for the years immediately prior to the years under audit. There is only one logical explanation for Mr. Trump’s refusal to release his returns: there is a bombshell in them. Given Mr. Trump’s equanimity with other flaws in his history, we can only assume it’s a bombshell of unusual size.”
Romney is of course correct. And given that the mainstream media has utterly failed its job of vetting Donald Trump, his tax returns are a window into his activities, and to his beliefs. Given that he is being audited, they might also show evidence of wrong doing. But Trump is allowed to break every standard of decency, and the media allows and supports it.Â
Who else does?
Trump supporters.
Look at these some of the responses to Romney’s Facebook post today:
And via Twitter:
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Image by Gage Skidmore via Flickr and a CC license