# Why won't Romney release his tax returns? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [August 1, 2012, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-romney-release-his-tax-returns/630085 "2012-08-01T18:35:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 31
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2012, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-romney-release-his-tax-returns/630085/601 "2012-08-12T13:55:13Z")
[Romney Campaign Requested ‘Several’ Years of Tax Returns of VP Contenders](http://news.yahoo.com/romney-campaign-requested-several-years-tax-returns-vp-124514448--abc-news-politics.html) > [@](#): > > CHARLOTTE - Mitt Romney requested “several” years of tax returns from his potential running mates, a senior adviser to the candidate said Saturday, suggesting that those considered for the ticket may have been required to reveal more financial documents that the candidate himself. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-romney-release-his-tax-returns/630085/602 "2012-08-13T03:08:32Z")
It would be nice if “amnesty” had been replaced by “dismissal with prejudice” (or whatever the legal term would be for a resolution that indemnifies the person against criminal penalties, but at the cost of making it a publicly recorded transaction). Folks who monitor the cycles of the Universe, please bookmark this page, and make sure you do it that way next time. ---
**Author:** ![Esox\_Lucius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/848f3c/32.png) [@Esox\_Lucius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esox_Lucius)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-romney-release-his-tax-returns/630085/603 "2012-08-13T04:59:29Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > [Romney Campaign Requested ‘Several’ Years of Tax Returns of VP Contenders](http://news.yahoo.com/romney-campaign-requested-several-years-tax-returns-vp-124514448--abc-news-politics.html) That contradicts what both Ryan and Tim Pawlenty said today. In separate interviews, they were asked how many years of tax returns they submitted to Romney for the vetting process. Both got deer-in-the-headlights looks and stumbled around for their answers. It was good for a chuckle.😃 ---
**Author:** ![ajb867](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f14d63/32.png) [@ajb867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ajb867)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-romney-release-his-tax-returns/630085/604 "2012-08-13T06:58:29Z")
Romney really should just release them at this point. Many middle class Americans can actually relate to trying to squeeze every dime back through loopholes / deductions. It’s no secret he’s rich, its no secret this is what rich people do. Its the biggest strength for the Obama campaign that he is not releasing these returns, take that away. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-romney-release-his-tax-returns/630085/605 "2012-08-13T12:09:31Z")
> [@ajb867](#): > > Romney really should just release them at this point. Many middle class Americans can actually relate to trying to squeeze every dime back through loopholes / deductions. If that was all he is concealing, I think he would have done it already. There is something far more embarrassing here, so that he is willing to take the heat, rather than reveal the truth. ---
**Author:** ![ajb867](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f14d63/32.png) [@ajb867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ajb867)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-romney-release-his-tax-returns/630085/606 "2012-08-13T13:58:26Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > If that was all he is concealing, I think he would have done it already. There is something far more embarrassing here, so that he is willing to take the heat, rather than reveal the truth. I lose respect for Obama if this is actually the case. He’s a criminal and needs to be charged / treated as one just like anyone else. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-romney-release-his-tax-returns/630085/607 "2012-08-13T14:13:24Z")
Embarrassing doesn’t mean criminal, necessarily ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-romney-release-his-tax-returns/630085/608 "2012-08-13T14:31:22Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Embarrassing doesn’t mean criminal, necessarily Yes. A 10% or lower total tax burden, that he took advantage of the 2009 offshore accounts amnesty, that he’s not tithing nearly as much as he says he is to the LDS (or, conversely, that he’s tithing MORE of a percentage of his income to the LDS than he is paying in taxes)…all of those are possible embarrassing but legal (retroactively, if you will, in the case of the amnesty) things that could be in his tax returns. ---
**Author:** ![Truman\_Burbank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@Truman\_Burbank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truman_Burbank)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-romney-release-his-tax-returns/630085/609 "2012-08-13T14:33:48Z")
Well, thank God Ryan is in lockstep with his new running mate, and will only release 2 years of his own taxes. That should make it all better. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-romney-release-his-tax-returns/630085/610 "2012-08-13T15:04:49Z")
> [@Truman\_Burbank](#): > > Well, thank God Ryan is in lockstep with his new running mate, and will only release 2 years of his own taxes. That should make it all better. There are two separate questions; how many years worth will he release to the public and how many did he show Romney. If the numbers are different, I’d really like them to explain why. ---
**Author:** ![Esox\_Lucius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/848f3c/32.png) [@Esox\_Lucius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esox_Lucius)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-romney-release-his-tax-returns/630085/611 "2012-08-13T18:20:30Z")
It sure looked to me from both Ryan’s and Pawlenty’s body english that they were lying. Obvious squirming and hemming and hawing was obvious. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-romney-release-his-tax-returns/630085/612 "2012-08-13T20:42:56Z")
I’d be willing to bet that Ryan would have been willing to release every tax return since he changed the oil at McDonald’s, but Romney said, “pick two, so, you know, it looks like it’s cool that I’m doing that too.” ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-romney-release-his-tax-returns/630085/613 "2012-08-13T23:05:02Z")
Romney gave all his tax returns to McCain when he being considered for VP. I don’t think he would have done that if there were anything worse than a low tax rate or perhaps undervaluing assets he contributed to his IRA (then again, he didn’t get picked). The timing suggests that Romney had a secret swiss (or any other tax haven that doesnt have an information sharing agreement with the USA) bank account that he hadnt been reporting, then applied under the amnesty program. In the end it might be nothing and he’s just rope-a-doping us into investing too much political capital in getting him to reveal his tax returns and then have them turn out to be entirely innocuous. But, I don’t think so. ---
**Author:** ![babygoat666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2acd7d/32.png) [@babygoat666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/babygoat666)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-romney-release-his-tax-returns/630085/614 "2012-08-13T23:08:10Z")
> [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > Romney gave all his tax returns to McCain when he being considered for VP. I don’t think he would have done that if there were anything worse than a low tax rate or perhaps undervaluing assets he contributed to his IRA (then again, he didn’t get picked). Not only that, Sarah Palin was picked instead. ---
**Author:** ![Esox\_Lucius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/848f3c/32.png) [@Esox\_Lucius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esox_Lucius)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2012, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-romney-release-his-tax-returns/630085/615 "2012-08-14T02:49:44Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > I’d be willing to bet that Ryan would have been willing to release every tax return since he changed the oil at McDonald’s, but Romney said, “pick two, so, you know, it looks like it’s cool that I’m doing that too.” Wouldn’t it be irresponsible of Romney to get tax returns from them for just two years? The whole idea is to make sure they don’t have any financial skeletons in the closet that would damage the campaign if they came to light, and they’d have to go back more than two years to do that. When they claim to have submitted only two years’ worth of returns, it looks like they’re lying to protect Mitt. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2012, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-romney-release-his-tax-returns/630085/617 "2012-08-14T12:41:46Z")
> [@Esox\_Lucius](#): > > Wouldn’t it be irresponsible of Romney to get tax returns from them for just two years? The whole idea is to make sure they don’t have any financial skeletons in the closet that would damage the campaign if they came to light, and they’d have to go back more than two years to do that. When they claim to have submitted only two years’ worth of returns, it looks like they’re lying to protect Mitt. No. I’m saying Romney and crew probably had all of Ryan’s returns, and Ryan would have been willing to release them, but he had to stick to the “we’re only releasing two” paradigm to make Romney look good. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2012, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-romney-release-his-tax-returns/630085/618 "2012-08-15T16:23:36Z")
[Ann Romney explains the situation](http://rockcenter.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/08/15/13284524-ann-romney-talks-family-finances-in-exclusive-interview-theres-nothing-were-hiding): > [@](#): > > When pressed by Morales, Mrs. Romney stood her ground. “We have been very transparent to what’s legally required of us,” she said. “There’s going to be no more tax releases given.” > > Mrs. Romney said if they release any more information, “it will only give them more ammunition.” > > In regards to their finances, she said “there’s nothing we’re hiding.” > > “It’s been managed by a blind trust since before Mitt was governor, you know, 2002 forward,” she told Morales. “And so, you know, I’ll be curious to see what’s in there too.” Or, to break it down into a series of bullet points: 1. I don’t know what’s in our tax returns. 2. The stuff in our tax returns I don’t know anything about is all squeaky clean. 3. The squeaky clean contents of our tax returns would hurt Mitt if people knew what was in there. 4. I don’t have to tell you nuthin’, so boo on you! ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2012, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-romney-release-his-tax-returns/630085/619 "2012-08-15T19:46:36Z")
> [@Steve\_MB](#): > > [Ann Romney explains the situation](http://rockcenter.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/08/15/13284524-ann-romney-talks-family-finances-in-exclusive-interview-theres-nothing-were-hiding): > > Or, to break it down into a series of bullet points: > > 1. I don’t know what’s in our tax returns. Correct me if I am wrong, tax experts, but I would think that even if a blind trust is managed without direct control of the trustees, they still are the owners, and the people who sign the tax returns. Assuming they file jointly, a good bet I’d think. Mrs. Romney has to sign also. If she does know what is in there she is either being willfully ignorant or stupid. That goes double for Mitt. I assume they signed the returns that they did release, right? ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2012, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-romney-release-his-tax-returns/630085/620 "2012-08-15T19:58:20Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > Correct me if I am wrong, tax experts, but I would think that even if a blind trust is managed without direct control of the trustees, they still are the owners, and the people who sign the tax returns. Assuming they file jointly, a good bet I’d think. > Mrs. Romney has to sign also. If she does know what is in there she is either being willfully ignorant or stupid. > That goes double for Mitt. > I assume they signed the returns that they did release, right? We aren’t asking for the tax returns of the trust, which would be filed separately. We are asking for the tax returns of Mr. and Mrs. Romney. Unless all their assets and all their income is in a blind trust (and it isn’t according to the return they did release), they sign a return every year that they are legally responsible for the contents of. Or, Ann Romney has zero idea what she is talking about and has never looked at the return she signs every year that makes her liable for its contents. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2012, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-romney-release-his-tax-returns/630085/621 "2012-08-15T20:48:40Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > I assume they signed the returns that they did release, right? Either your use of the plural “returns” is a typo or that elusive second return, which was promised but may never be delivered, actually was delivered. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-romney-release-his-tax-returns/630085.md?page=30) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-romney-release-his-tax-returns/630085.md?page=32)