Now to create a rationale to justify hiding his tax returns Donald Trump is claiming that Mitt Romney’s making his tax returns public lost him the election. Trump portraying himself to be a master of political strategy won’t follow Romney and EVERY recent presidential nominee practice of making their tax returns public.
STEPHANOPOULOS: You know where I'm going to take this next. Americans could be assured on that if they saw your tax returns.
TRUMP: My tax returns are very simple. They're under a minor audit, a routine audit, as they have been for many years. Every year I get audited.
Now, I don't know if you get audited but I have friends...
STEPHANOPOULOS: I've been audited.
TRUMP: -- who are very wealthy that never have been audited. I say -- you get audited. I get audited every year. I'm under a routine audited like routine. And I've been for years, every year.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Is there something...
(CROSSTALK)
TRUMP: George, it is very simple. Yes, but they're all linked. It's called the link.
It's very simple, if my audit is finished, that's great.
Now, I have to tell you. I watched Mitt Romney four years ago. He waited until September to give them, just before the election. They made him look so bad, it was so unfair, I actually think he didn't lose because of the 47 percent, I think he lost because of a couple of really minor items in tax return where he did nothing wrong. So it is unfair.
But I will say, when I'm finished with the audit, I'll do it.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Richard Nixon released his even though his were under audit.
TRUMP: I don't use Richard Nixon as necessarily the guide, OK. I mean, you know, it's an interesting person to use, but don't use it.
Donald Trump thinks Richard Nixon was too open and transparent?? That’s mind-boggling!
Even an embarrassment to Nixon’s ghost?Mitt Romney had this to say about Trump hiding his tax returns:
Mitt Romney says it's 'disqualifying' if Donald Trump does not release his tax returns
By Allan Smith
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.
Then:
By Mark Abadi
"Your imagination can run wild," Romney said in an interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer on Friday.
He continued: "He doesn't pay taxes. He doesn't have much income. He's receiving income from unsavory sources. He has ownership in enterprises that are perhaps associated with unsavory enterprises or nations or groups."
Romney, one of the most prominent Republican critics of Trump, said in a Facebook postlast month that it's "disqualifying" for presidential candidates not to release their tax returns, and said that Trump's returns could contain a "bombshell of unusual size."
Obviously Trump doesn’t regard the American People as his prospective employers. In his mind he’s the one who hires and fires, and firing people is what he’s famous for. Donald Trump never sees himself as an prospective employee making all the disclosures that are expected of a job applicant for one of the world’s most sensitive and demanding jobs, but merely as Trump taking his rightful place as leader of this nation. He’ll release his tax returns when and if HE pleases. Like Donald said acting like a job applicant “is unfair” to 0.01 percenters like Romney and himself. Why? Because these guys pay a smaller portion of the ir incomes in taxes than the rest of us do.
Trump Admits That He Will Lose The Election If He Releases His Tax Returns