Brother Harry Reid Vs. Brother Mitt Romney

[Buzzard]

So in a interview and again on the Senate Floor, Harry Reid has stated he was told by an investor at Bain Capital that Mitt Romney paid no taxes for ten years. He also stated Mitt's father would have been ashamed of him.

http://www.lvrj.com/...-164680576.html

Mormon on Mormon violence. Such an ugly sight. But if Harry is repeating unsubstantiated rumor or worse, making up the charge out of whole cloth, does that fall into the rough and tumble of political discourse, or is this a problem for Brother Reid and his relationship with the church? From everything I have been led to believe, Harry Reid is an active, worthy believer. I assume he holds a calling and probably a TR. I heard somewhere that he was a bishop back in Nevada, but have not been able to find any references to this.

[Darren10]

Romney to Harry Reid on tax claims: Put up or shut up

excellent comment by Governor Romney to Harry Reid and as a bonus the link includes audio with a brilliant take from Rush Limbaugh on Harry Read' s foundless accusation against Mitt Romney.

[treehugger]

So in a interview and again on the Senate Floor, Harry Reid has stated he was told by an investor at Bain Capital that Mitt Romney paid no taxes for ten years. He also stated Mitt's father would have been ashamed of him.

http://www.lvrj.com/...-164680576.html

Mormon on Mormon violence. Such an ugly sight. But if Harry is repeating unsubstantiated rumor or worse, making up the charge out of whole cloth, does that fall into the rough and tumble of political discourse, or is this a problem for Brother Reid and his relationship with the church? From everything I have been led to believe, Harry Reid is an active, worthy believer. I assume he holds a calling and probably a TR. I heard somewhere that he was a bishop back in Nevada, but have not been able to find any references to this.

"Now, do I know that that's true? Well, I'm not certain," Reid told the Huffington Post, declining to identify his source.

[Calm]

"Now, do I know that that's true? Well, I'm not certain," Reid told the Huffington Post, declining to identify his source. "But obviously he can't release those tax returns. How would it look?"

And not being certain is supposed to make his accusations more credible?

If Romney has paid, then there is no reason he can't release his returns if he so chooses. For Reid to go on and say "but obviously he can't release those tax returns. How would it look?" seems like he's pretty certain that it is true or at least he is trying to appear that way.

I think it is a very sad action on his part. Why not just deal with Romney's plans or lack of plans if you think that way if he is in your opinion a bad choice for a president rather than creating controversy? It is as sad as the birther attempt to attack Obama.

Jon Stewart nailed Reid's tactic for exactly what it was, especially invoking his dead father.

"I don't think the burden should be on me," Reid said. "The burden should be on him. He's the one I've alleged has not paid any taxes.

Right, because it is the victim of an accusation who needs to prove it, not the accuser. Does Reid not know what "alleged" means? Sheesh....

"What if he has paid no taxes, like I am saying he hasn't," Reid said. "What if he has all these moneys as we already know ... in the Cayman Islands, Bermuda, Swiss banks. I mean, gee whiz, rather than ask me why I should do this, that is a story you should be writing."

Why ask him why he should do this....I don't know, maybe because something along the lines of "innocent until proved guilty" and not bearing false witness (which I would included making accusations without being certain about them).

[thesometimesaint]

While there is no legal requirement for any Presidential candidate to publicly reveal their tax return every modern day Presidential candidate has released multiple years with the lone exception of Willard Mitt Romney.

As George Romney(Mitt Romney's father) so eloquently said " One year could be a fluke, perhaps done for show, and what mattered in personal finance was how a man conducted himself over the long haul."

[Calm]

While there is no legal requirement for any Presidential candidate to publicly reveal their tax return every modern day Presidential candidate has released multiple years with the lone exception of Willard Mitt Romney.

As George Romney(Mitt Romney's father) so eloquently said " One year could be a fluke, perhaps done for show, and what mattered in personal finance was how a man conducted himself over the long haul."

So you think it is okay to accuse Romney of tax fraud just because he hasn't shown his taxes like is being demanded, but not by the law?

[thesometimesaint]

I never accused him of tax fraud. Personally I don't care if Romney didn't publicly release any of his tax returns. But I gives me pause when Mitt released just one year to the public, but over a decade's worth to Mc Cain. Then Mc Cain chose Sara Palin.

[Calm]

I never accused him of tax fraud.

No, Reid has. I was asking for your opinion about Reid's accusation.

But I gives me pause when Mitt released just one year to the public, but over a decade's worth to Mc Cain. Then Mc Cain chose Sara Palin.

So you think McCain is lying when he said they were all just fine?

[thesometimesaint]

I have no opinion either way on the claim of Mr. Reid. I do have an opinion on what George Romney said. I agree with him.

I have no opinion either way on the claim of Mr. McCain. But is a fact that Mr. McCain chose Mrs. Palin probably the least impressive VP candidate in recent history. That is not just me that was VP Richard Cheney.

[Calm]

Because taxes would have been the only thing making McCain reluctant to have Romney as a VP...

http://mittromneycen...in-camp-update/

“Why did we not take [Tim] Pawlenty, why did we not take any of the other 10 other people,” McCain said. “Why didn’t I? Because we had a better candidate, the same way with all the others. … Come on, why? That’s a stupid question.”

Former McCain adviser Steve Schmidt told the Huffington Post this week that the campaign was primarily concerned Romney’s vast wealth would make the ticket difficult to sell to average Americans, but didn’t believe Romney’s taxes were a liability. Schmidt also said he never personally saw 23 years of tax returns Romney provided to McCain during the vetting process.

http://2012.talkingp...n-romney-vp.php

I selected Sarah Palin because she was the best fit for my campaign, and my decision had nothing to do with the bogus tax return attacks currently being waged by the Obama campaign.

http://livewire.talk...was-better-than

http://blog.chron.com/txpotomac/2008/08/why-mccain-didnt-choose-them-for-vp/

The biggest reason Romney ended up an also-ran is that McCain doesn’t really like him. Romney repeatedly bashed the Arizona senator during the primary season when the two men were archrivals for the GOP nomination. He said McCain was not a true conservative and he excoriated McCain’s positions on campaign finance reform and immigration. He’s also not a proven vote-getter at the national level. And two rich white men might not have been a ticket to appeal to working-class Americans.

[thesometimesaint]

I see little difference on the governance issues between the two. I don't know as religion was an issue to McCain. If it was bad on him.

[ERayR]

So in a interview and again on the Senate Floor, Harry Reid has stated he was told by an investor at Bain Capital that Mitt Romney paid no taxes for ten years. He also stated Mitt's father would have been ashamed of him.

http://www.lvrj.com/...-164680576.html

Mormon on Mormon violence. Such an ugly sight. But if Harry is repeating unsubstantiated rumor or worse, making up the charge out of whole cloth, does that fall into the rough and tumble of political discourse, or is this a problem for Brother Reid and his relationship with the church? From everything I have been led to believe, Harry Reid is an active, worthy believer. I assume he holds a calling and probably a TR. I heard somewhere that he was a bishop back in Nevada, but have not been able to find any references to this.

That is between Harry Reid and God. I don't think his bishop would take any action for a political statement but if he has stepped into the area of breaking the law (release of Brother Romney's tax information) then perhaps some sort of church sanctions would be appropriate. Especially since he is high profile.

[ERayR]

I have no opinion either way on the claim of Mr. Reid. I do have an opinion on what George Romney said. I agree with him.

I have no opinion either way on the claim of Mr. McCain. But is a fact that Mr. McCain chose Mrs. Palin probably the least impressive VP candidate in recent history. That is not just me that was VP Richard Cheney.

That is your and Cheney's opinion, and probably a bunch of others, but a great many more don't seem to share your opinion.

[Kenngo1969]

Unless Senator Reid's conveniently anonymous source were Governor Romney's accountant, how in blazes would the source know whether Governor Romney has paid any taxes or not? And if Senator Reid's source does know, why is he telling Senator Reid? And while legally there may not be any such thing as "accountant-client privilege," if Senator Reid's conveniently anonymous source is Governor Romney's accountant, his disclosure of this information to Senator Reid is extremely poor form professionally, even if it's not a breach of law or ethics.

Governor Romney, as I understand it, has released his tax returns for two years, 2010 and 2011. And Democrats get a pass for putting rich guys on their ticket. It's only Republicans who have to worry about the "optics" of running rich guys. Besides, John Kerry made his money the old fashioned way: he married into it.

[thesometimesaint]

ERayR:

I have no problem with that.

[thesometimesaint]

kenngo1969:

I've never liked anonymous sources. But it doesn't HAVE to be his accountant. Someone high up in Bain Capital COULD also be the source. It would still be unethical to release the information without consent.

Whatever the truth is, the ONLY one that can clear it up is mister Romney, and so far he has refused to do so. Whether he did anything untoward or not. It keeps the idea that he has something to hide in the public mind. Not something you really want when running for the highest political office.

[Anijen]

I would think if Mitt hasn't paid taxes in ten years someone would have been notified. I have no doubt he has paid his taxes and hopes he doesn't kowtow to the dem's and show them more. Harry Reid in my opinion is doing the same tactics he has been doing for a long time i.e. I received an anonymous phone call so it must be true... All at the same time our illustrious highest money man in the US the Secretary of the Treasury is a known tax cheat.

Bottom line it is a simple double standard.

Politics on any side is getting corrupt and frankly I just cant wait for the second coming.

[Calm]

Someone high up in Bain Capital COULD also be the source.

Wasn't it claimed that it was an investor? If so, why would an investor have any information about someone's personal tax returns?

[Calm]

Whatever the truth is, the ONLY one that can clear it up is mister Romney, and so far he has refused to do so.

Or Mister Reid could state that who his source was and what evidence if any was actually given him to support the accusations...but he has refused to do so.

[ERayR]

kenngo1969:

I've never liked anonymous sources. But it doesn't HAVE to be his accountant. Someone high up in Bain Capital COULD also be the source. It would still be unethical to release the information without consent.

Whatever the truth is, the ONLY one that can clear it up is mister Romney, and so far he has refused to do so. Whether he did anything untoward or not. It keeps the idea that he has something to hide in the public mind. Not something you really want when running for the highest political office.

How about somebody using Reid's influence gaining access to IRS records? Illegal but since when has that been a deterrent when you have power backing you?

[thesometimesaint]

Anijen:

It isn't just the Dems' that are calling on Romney to release his tax forms.

http://thinkprogress.org/election/2012/07/17/530121/15-prominent-republicans-who-want-romney-to-release-more-tax-returns-right-now/

[thesometimesaint]

ERayR:

I always recommend someone follow the law.

[thesometimesaint]

Calmoriah:

That's fine with me. Bring forth the accuser.

[ERayR]

Anijen:

It isn't just the Dems' that are calling on Romney to release his tax forms.

http://thinkprogress...urns-right-now/

And the timid little mice scurry around afraid and crying, wo wo we have to bow to the Dems demands.

[thesometimesaint]

Last I heard George Romney wasn't a Democrat.