After all the trouble Mitt Romney has had with his secret tax returns, you'd think other politicians would take steps to avoid the same mess. Wisconsin's Tommy Thompson, a former four-term governor who's now running for the Senate, apparently missed the memo.
The problem is, Thompson used to release all of his tax returns, right up until he left Wisconsin, worked at a DC lobbying firm, and made lots of money. Now, Thompson, who was also a member of the Bush/Cheney cabinet, prefers secrecy.
Rep. Tammy Baldwin, Thompson's Democratic opponent, is taking advantage of this in a new ad featured above, but here's the exact Thompson quote from last week, unedited: "When I was governor and I was employed [by] the people of the State of Wisconsin, I released my tax returns, but I've been in the business world, and the question is, 'Am I going to release my tax returns?' The answer is 'no'. No. The answer is 'N-O.' What part don't you understand?"
He makes it sound, in a rather crotchety way, that private-sector experience necessarily translates into justifiable secrecy.
In an amusing twist, Thompson told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that he paid a 31 percent tax rate. Asked to substantiate the claim with his tax returns, the Republican refused again. Voters are just supposed to take his word for it.
As Romney can attest, all this does is reinforce suspicions. Indeed, with Thompson, it's arguably worse -- Romney has always opposed disclosure, but Thompson used to make his returns available every year, which only makes observers wonder what changed.
And in the bigger picture, with Missouri, Ohio, Washington, and now Wisconsin in mind, what's going on this week with the Republican U.S. Senate candidates?
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"Also, that is a different 'Tommy Thompson' with the three DUIs, back child support, and a stars and bars tattoo that says "Forget, Hell!" (Trust Me)
What's really amazing is how Republicans are now willing to rip off their masks and let people see what they really are. Sununuts with Blitzer, Akin's interview, Preisse in Ohio on African-American voting. They've definitely decided that this is going to be a "base" election. And the fact that they are doing it is going to insure that no matter what the outcome November 6, nothing will be resolved. Their war will continue regardless. And now they don't care who sees it. I hope this is a case of over-reach, but I keep reminding myself of what Mencken said 88 years ago: "nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public."
We are watching an attempted electoral coup d'etat carried out right in front of us.
Paging Mr. Glenn Kessler!
Bain Documents Released By Gawker
The Bain Files: The Documents
http://gawker.com/5933641
I was just going to tell everyone here about the Gawker flood. http://gawker.com/5936394/
Maybe Thompson shouldn't take advice from Elizabeth Warren:
"Warren also said Monday, as she has in the past, that candidates should only
release tax documents for the years in which they have been in public
service.
But that is not a universally accepted standard. It would mean, for example,
that first-time candidates who spent their careers on Wall Street or running
banks would not have to release any tax returns at all.
And even under that standard, Warren has limited her definition for her own
career in public service."
http://www.boston.com/politicalintelligence/2012/08/07/elizabeth-warren-calls-scott-brown-release-more-tax-returns-than-she-has/YBXaARA2AdnEfFnV2XECmM/story.html
SQUIRREL!
Where? I want to take a picture
Why do you hate Elizabeth Warren so much, bannedagain?
Do you have any substantive reasons or are you just lustily supporting the usual destructive campaign hyperbole and unproven character accusations to get a win for the good ole GOP who's done SO MUCH for you.
I thought I was pointing out that many candidates hate the idea of releasing their tax returns, including Democrats. Now Romney should have released his a year or more ago, no question about it but he didn't and he will pay whatever price he has to pay for it.
Besides nothing I wrote about Warren is in any way unproven or hyperbole. It's her own campaign that is saying these things, not others saying things about her.
Did everyone hear about the Bain leaked docs.?
http://gawker.com/5933641
Mitt's head must be spinning.
Uh oh…. a server problem? Riiigghht…..
Sweet! Gawker got slashdotted.
Seems to be back again, now.
So why isn't more of it on the news?
The GOP dilemma, and it is real and serious, is that they have always been able to get voters on their side by getting them to IDENTIFY with the wealthy, on the grounds that they, too, might be wealthy someday.
Now, it's not so good to flaunt your taxpayer funded millions. So what's a poor little rich boy candidate to do?
Yeah, well, that boat has sailed, hasn't it? Poor little Robme, the new reverse Robin Hood...
Tommy also "worked" for Logistic's Health after leaving his position as Secretary of HHS... It seems that not long after that, the company got a big deal w/ the US Government.
The title says "Romney's not the only [ ] with tax return trouble". Are you missing a word?
I figured it was self censorship like"...the only (bleep)..."
All I can say is their true colors are finally showing...