Romney calls on Reid to reveal source as fact-check sites challenge tax claim

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**Jihadin**

Mitt Romney called on Harry Reid Tuesday to reveal the source for his claim that the Republican presidential candidate has not paid taxes for 10 years, stepping up pressure as two major fact-check sites ruled Reid had no basis for the "incendiary" allegation.

Romney, in an interview with Fox News, said he doesn't believe Reid has a credible source but urged the Senate Democratic leader to reveal who it is.

"I don't really believe that he's got any kind of a credible source," Romney said. "I don't know who gave him this line of reasoning, whether it came from the White House or the DNC or a staffer, but he ought to say where it came from, and then we can find out whether that person has any credibility. I know they don't."

He said Reid also has "lost a lot of credibility."

Romney's latest comments came as two major fact-check sites knocked down Reid's comments, which the senator amplified by repeating them last week on the Senate floor. Reid has said his source is an investor with Romney's former venture capital company Bain.

But PolitiFact wrote that it is "far-fetched" to believe Romney paid no taxes for 10 years. Further, the article stated the obvious -- "Reid has produced no evidence to back up his claim other than attribution to a shadowy anonymous source."

PolitiFact concluded: "Reid has made an extreme claim with nothing solid to back it up." They gave the accusation a "Pants on Fire!" rating.

The Washington Post's fact-check column, too, gave Reid's remark the equivalent of a "Pants on Fire!" score. The Post gave it "four Pinocchios," which is the newspaper's score for a claim they knock down.

"Without seeing Romney's taxes, we cannot definitively prove Reid incorrect. But tax experts say his claim is highly improbable. Reid also has made no effort to explain why his unnamed source would be credible. So, in the absence of more information, it appears he has no basis to make his incendiary claim," the Post wrote.

The White House, meanwhile, has distanced itself from Reid's remark. Press Secretary Jay Carney said Monday the Senate Democratic leader "speaks for himself."

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, though, has defended Reid. She told The Huffington Post that Reid made a "true" statement.

"Somebody told him. It is a fact," she said.

Like other Democratic officials, Pelosi said Romney can either prove or disprove the claim by releasing more tax returns.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/08/07/romney-calls-on-reid-to-reveal-source-as-fact-check-sites-challenge-tax-claim/#ixzz22srESWrE

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, though, has defended Reid. She told The Huffington Post that Reid made a "true" statement.

"Somebody told him. It is a fact," she said.

I'm sorry. This made me laugh with coffee in my mouth

Case of beer says Romney has ten years tax returns in a folder waiting to see how many Democrats can get on the wagon before he flames them

**Frazzled**

His tax returns will show lots of offshore cash and minimal tax actually paid. The follow on issues will be demands for his account information and some nits and nats.

How this relates TO THE ACTUAL ISSUES FACING THE NATION we'll never know.

**hotsauceman1**

Frazzled, When have issues ever had a place in politics? ITs ALL chracter Traits.
But why should romney expect us to pay taxes when he doesnt?

**Jihadin**

But why should romney expect us to pay taxes when we assumed he doesnt?

Fixed

**whembly**

Also, the only thing he needs to do is release the normal financial disclosures that public officials are required to do when running for office, which he did. (to show that there's no potential conflict of interests)

He also released his last 2 years of his tax returns, which is not required, but customary from prior presidential elections.

This is nothing more than a deflection and class warfare...

Caveat: If he does release his last 10 years of tax record... I hope it show that he maximized his tax savings. I want a president that is smart/savvy enough to take advantage of legal tax strategies.

**hotsauceman1**

Well all he has to do is show us his tax returns(And al the money he has hidden away offshores) and we can solve this.
If he did nothing wrong he should just bring them out.

**d-usa**

Wait, FoxNews cares about having sources now?

**SilverMK2**

Frazzled wrote:His tax returns will show lots of offshore cash and minimal tax actually paid. The follow on issues will be demands for his account information and some nits and nats.

How this relates TO THE ACTUAL ISSUES FACING THE NATION we'll never know.

Well, given taxation is vital to the nation I would assume anyone dodging out of paying large amounts of tax using legal loopholes (ie pretty much everyone who earns enough to hire an accountant) who is "exposed" so it can be seen exactly how much they are getting out of paying, especially if it is a lot, and they are very high profile, may lead to some tax reform to help ensure that everyone pays what they "should", rather than as little as they can get away with by paying someone to engage in what amounts to legal fraud...

**Jihadin**

Well all he has to do is show us his tax returns(And al the money we assumed he has hidden away offshores) and we can solve this.
If he did nothing wrong he should just bring them out.

Fixed again

**Lynata**

Politicians should call out each other for stating BS more often. I'm surprised the Democrats haven't done so more often, given the opportunities.

In fact, I think there should be a law covering false claims, requiring the violating party to pay a fee and (more importantly) launch a campaign of similar coverage to publicly withdraw them.
With all the dirt and money involved in this election, it kinda makes you wonder how the next one will look like. That really oughta change.

**d-usa**

Frazzled wrote:His tax returns will show lots of offshore cash and minimal tax actually paid. The follow on issues will be demands for his account information and some nits and nats.

How this relates TO THE ACTUAL ISSUES FACING THE NATION we'll never know.

Obama has a birth certificate, high school and college transcripts, and thesis sitting in a box, just waiting to let it all out to make the republicans look foolish.

How this relates TO THE ACTUAL ISSUES FACING THE NATION we'll never know.

**whembly**

hotsauceman1 wrote:Frazzled, When have issues ever had a place in politics? ITs ALL chracter Traits.
But why should romney expect us to pay taxes when he doesnt?

Are you implying that he's a criminal?

What we have is a (so far) baseless accusation. And now, Romney is being pressured to prove is innocence.

Doesn't this seem wrong to you?

It's asinine... it's the same thing when some righty folks are pushing the "Reid is a pederast, it's true 'cuz I saw it on the internet... why doesn't he deny this?" meme.

This is gutter politics at its worst... or McCarythism...

Again, it serves as a distraction. We're talking about this instead of Obama's record.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

d-usa wrote:
Frazzled wrote:His tax returns will show lots of offshore cash and minimal tax actually paid. The follow on issues will be demands for his account information and some nits and nats.

How this relates TO THE ACTUAL ISSUES FACING THE NATION we'll never know.

Obama has a birth certificate, high school and college transcripts, and thesis sitting in a box, just waiting to let it all out to make the republicans look foolish.

How this relates TO THE ACTUAL ISSUES FACING THE NATION we'll never know.

So... is this payback?

**d-usa**

No, it's ironic that all the people I know that are bitching about this are the same people that still post on Facebook that Obama is not a citizen and was only admitted to college because hisar affirmative action and that he had horrible grades and his thesis was about destroying America.

It's not payback, it's just ironic that after all that crap the same people suddenly care about proof and sources for baseless allegations.

**Crablezworth**

The guy who claims his business skills will save the economy if he's elected president (Romney) basically looks like he's a massive part of the problem.

He can gak all over Harry Reid all he wants and in all honesty he probably should because Harry Reid is a dick but at the end of the day Reid wins. If he was smart he would have ignored it unless he actually planned on releasing his taxes and making Reid look like a fool. He's only amplifying the “what if” of all this every time he makes some macho rant telling Reid to put up or shut up.

You had plenty of media perceived as “left leaning” or “liberal” come out against Reid on this(Anderson Cooper, Jon Stewart), but the problem is they’re still amplifying the whole thing by just talking about it. It was more a chance for them to look bipartisan while still kind of sticking it to Romney.

If this was a court case and Reid was a witness and Romney was the defendant, the smart defence lawyer is not going to have any questions for Reid if he can’t discredit him reliably and he’s simply going to say “no further questions” to get his ass off the stand as quick as possible so the Jury will hopefully make as little of the testimony as possible.

Let's be honest here, Romney attended a fund raiser by one of the biggest "birthers" out there (Trump). If his surrogates get to believe and state absolutely crazy gak about Obama, the well has been poisoned for a while.

**CT GAMER**

"I don't really believe that he's got any kind of a credible source," Romney said. "I don't know who gave him this line of reasoning, whether it came from the White House or the DNC or a staffer, but he ought to say where it came from, and then we can find out whether that person has any credibility.

The irony of uttering this while on Fox News is mind-blowing...

**Lynata**

whembly wrote:So... is this payback?

The hostile and corrupted climate in this election seems to whip everyone into a frenzy.

I recall Obama being opposed to Super PACs as well, as he considered them undemocratical and giving the lobbies/industry too much influence.
Now he's using them himself to keep up with the Republican campaign.

**gorgon**

Frazzled wrote:His tax returns will show lots of offshore cash and minimal tax actually paid. The follow on issues will be demands for his account information and some nits and nats.

How this relates TO THE ACTUAL ISSUES FACING THE NATION we'll never know.

I'll bite, at least in terms of the overall Bain issue.

1. Unemployment is a real issue.

2. Romney says he'll create jobs if elected.

3. Records may show he made untold millions at Bain (while paying little in taxes) while laying off thousands of American workers.

Does #3 mean he can't do #2, or that he'll do more of #3 if elected? Of course not. Is this a completely legit line of attack against a campaign focusing on economic issues and unemployment? Yes, it is, and the GOP would do the exact same thing if the situation was reversed.

It points to a fundamental problem with the candidate's record and message. They don't actually quite line up. The Dems have been beating the heck outta the Bain issue because they see it as a way to rob Romney of his perceived greatest strength. This is right outta the Rove playbook.

**Ahtman**

Lynata wrote:I recall Obama being opposed to Super PACs as well, as he considered them undemocratical and giving the lobbies/industry too much influence.
Now he's using them himself to keep up with the Republican campaign.

But as part of that discussion he also said that to not use them would mean losing every single time; only a fool goes into a fight with both arms tied behind their back. They are a reality of politics and all the rhetoric in the world doesn't remove them from the equation. At least this instance the politician is up front about it. There is a history of politicians having to make compromises going back to, well, the stone age. Nit picking this one is just being blinded by paritsan glasses. Besides, neither Romney nor Obama use them, as they are separate entities from the campaigns, and it would be illegal for either of them to coordinate with them. The voters created this 'game', it is the politicians that have to work within it. We are just as at fault as they are for making them absolutely necessary to run a national campaign.

**Frazzled**

hotsauceman1 wrote:Well all he has to do is show us his tax returns(And al the money he has hidden away offshores) and we can solve this.
If he did nothing wrong he should just bring them out.

I heard you stopped beating your wife. All you have to do is prove you didn't.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

SilverMK2 wrote:
Frazzled wrote:His tax returns will show lots of offshore cash and minimal tax actually paid. The follow on issues will be demands for his account information and some nits and nats.

How this relates TO THE ACTUAL ISSUES FACING THE NATION we'll never know.

Well, given taxation is vital to the nation I would assume anyone dodging out of paying large amounts of tax using legal loopholes (ie pretty much everyone who earns enough to hire an accountant) who is "exposed" so it can be seen exactly how much they are getting out of paying, especially if it is a lot, and they are very high profile, may lead to some tax reform to help ensure that everyone pays what they "should", rather than as little as they can get away with by paying someone to engage in what amounts to legal fraud...

So you didn't vote for John Kerry I take it, or any member of Congress. Else I might have to question the veracity of your statement.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

d-usa wrote:
Frazzled wrote:His tax returns will show lots of offshore cash and minimal tax actually paid. The follow on issues will be demands for his account information and some nits and nats.

How this relates TO THE ACTUAL ISSUES FACING THE NATION we'll never know.

Obama has a birth certificate, high school and college transcripts, and thesis sitting in a box, just waiting to let it all out to make the republicans look foolish.

How this relates TO THE ACTUAL ISSUES FACING THE NATION we'll never know.

**Jihadin**

heard you stopped beating your wife. All you have to do is prove you didn't.

All they have to do is say on the senate floor to avoid reprecussion like Reid did

**Frazzled**

d-usa wrote:No, it's ironic that all the people I know that are bitching about this are the same people that still post on Facebook that Obama is not a citizen and was only admitted to college because hisar affirmative action and that he had horrible grades and his thesis was about destroying America.

It's not payback, it's just ironic that after all that crap the same people suddenly care about proof and sources for baseless allegations.

I don't and I'm bitching about the tax record nonsense. Reid did this on the Senate floor because he couldn't be prosecuted when giving a speech on the Senate floor.

**hotsauceman1**

Frazzled wrote:
hotsauceman1 wrote:Well all he has to do is show us his tax returns(And al the money he has hidden away offshores) and we can solve this.
If he did nothing wrong he should just bring them out.

I heard you stopped beating your wife. All you have to do is prove you didn't.

I have a question, where is this imaginary wife you think i have?

**SilverMK2**

Frazzled wrote:So you didn't vote for John Kerry I take it, or any member of Congress. Else I might have to question the veracity of your statement.

*looks at his flag*

Nope, I didn't vote for any of them. And you call yourselves a democracy!

**Frazzled**

Crablezworth wrote:The guy who claims his business skills will save the economy if he's elected president (Romney) basically looks like he's a massive part of the problem.

He can gak all over Harry Reid all he wants and in all honesty he probably should because Harry Reid is a dick but at the end of the day Reid wins. If he was smart he would have ignored it unless he actually planned on releasing his taxes and making Reid look like a fool. He's only amplifying the “what if” of all this every time he makes some macho rant telling Reid to put up or shut up.

You had plenty of media perceived as “left leaning” or “liberal” come out against Reid on this(Anderson Cooper, Jon Stewart), but the problem is they’re still amplifying the whole thing by just talking about it. It was more a chance for them to look bipartisan while still kind of sticking it to Romney.

If this was a court case and Reid was a witness and Romney was the defendant, the smart defence lawyer is not going to have any questions for Reid if he can’t discredit him reliably and he’s simply going to say “no further questions” to get his ass off the stand as quick as possible so the Jury will hopefully make as little of the testimony as possible.

Let's be honest here, Romney attended a fund raiser by one of the biggest "birthers" out there (Trump). If his surrogates get to believe and state absolutely crazy gak about Obama, the well has been poisoned for a while.

The economy has deep deep structural problems. Thats the problem. His taxes have nmothing to do with it. indeed, if one is cutting out loopholes you'd go to him. After all, if you want to stop a thief getting into your house , hire a thief to show you its weaknesses. .

**Jihadin**

have a question, where is this imaginary wife you think i have?

Not you Sauce lol he refering to Reid

**Frazzled**

hotsauceman1 wrote:
Frazzled wrote:
hotsauceman1 wrote:Well all he has to do is show us his tax returns(And al the money he has hidden away offshores) and we can solve this.
If he did nothing wrong he should just bring them out.

I heard you stopped beating your wife. All you have to do is prove you didn't.

I have a question, where is this imaginary wife you think i have?

I don't know, what did you do with her now?

I used to love her, but I had to kill her...

**Jihadin**

Wait....Hotsauce misplaced a wife?

**Ahtman**

whembly wrote:Also, the only thing he needs to do is release the normal financial disclosures that public officials are required to do when running for office, which he did. (to show that there's no potential conflict of interests)

He also released his last 2 years of his tax returns, which is not required, but customary from prior presidential elections.

His father released 12 years of taxes and the Bushes released 10 years, just as two examples. He isn't following the customary by any stretch.

**Grakmar**

1) I'm sure Reid told the truth. Someone told him that Romney hadn't paid taxes. That doesn't mean that person is credible, or had any proof themselves.

2) I'm sure Romney used all sorts of tax loopholes to keep his tax obligation to a minimum. Pretty much everyone assumes that, and it's not really news.

3) Romney should refute this claim, because it's painfully obvious to show he paid some tax in the past 10 years. Not because he's obligated to, but just for the lulz. All he has to do is show he paid sales tax on a candy bar, or paid his property tax, or that tax they put on your phone or cable or water or electric bill. Hell, I don't think it's possible to go 8 hours in the US without paying some tax.

**Ouze**

I think he definitely should release his records. What's he got to hide, right? What's the big deal, this whole thing would go away as soon as he released them, right? Why is he spending so much money to prevent them from being released?

Did I miss any GOP talking points about Obama's birth certificate from the last 4 years, give or take?

Also, remember.... long form only, please.