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Hillary Will Release Tax Returns At Least Three Days Before Pennsylvania Primary
It turns out reporters will have enough time to take a hard look at Hillary's tax returns in the run-up to the Pennsylvania primary.
The Obama campaign has been hitting Hillary regularly for "secrecy" over the fact that she has yet to release the returns. And asked on a conference call with reporters whether the campaign would pledge to release the returns at least three days before the primary, Hillary spokesperson Howard Wolfson said:
"Yes. That is a categorical yes."
It's still possible that this won't leave enough time for any revelations therein to sink in with the Pennsylvania electorate, of course.
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Is there a reason why they cant do it now?
March 24, 2008 1:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
The last sentence of Greg's post. THAT's why. There's some crooked shit in there; what other reason would there be?
Let's hope that it hurts her in IN and NC.
March 24, 2008 4:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
Still no call for Obama to release his tax returns? After all, he only released one year (2006). Where are his Illinois Senate schedules so we can peruse those? Where's HIS transparency?
March 24, 2008 1:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
Forgot to link.
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/03/the-obama-tax-a.html
March 24, 2008 2:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
Obama has released all returns since he joined the Senate. From 2004 forward.
March 24, 2008 2:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
I wouldn't call for Obama to release his tax returns because he has been releasing them since 1997..
Here's a 2006 article describing his 2004 and 2005 tax information. Quickest thing I found.
http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/72374,CST-NWS-obama26.article
March 24, 2008 2:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Clinton has released past joint tax returns as First Lady and when her husband was running for president -- Obama's point seems to be that she hasn't released any returns as a presidential candidate.
But it's not as though all Obama's returns from his entire time as a US Senator are available. Will Obama release all of those returns or, next month, his 2007 tax returns?
That's unclear.
So when the Obama campaign says Clinton should release her returns, it just means for 2006?
Apparently so.
"We’ve said she should release her tax returns from last year, like we have done," says Obama spox Bill Burton. "Now that some 80% of the Democratic contests have transpired, she has already deprived most Democratic voters of the ability to fully judge her on the information that we have made available."
As for any pre-2006 or 2007 returns, Burton says he "will keep you posted."
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/03/the-obama-tax-a.html
March 24, 2008 2:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Read the comments section where people point out Tapper is wrong. I will agree though, there is conflicting information out there. As some point out there is evidence Obama has been releasing tax returns since 1997. I think they should clarify which returns are out there if and when they respond to the Clinton statement.
March 24, 2008 2:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think the reason there's confusion is because Burton said he'd "keep us posted." I am truly curious to know the extent of it and hope to see clarification soon.
As far as his state records, there seems to be some confusion too.
"Barack Obama, who's been scolding Hillary Rodham Clinton for not hastening the release of records from her time as first lady, says he can't step up and produce his own records from his days in the Illinois state Senate.
He says he hasn't got any.
"I don't have — I don't maintain — a file of eight years of work in the state Senate because I didn't have the resources available to maintain those kinds of records," he said at a recent campaign stop in Iowa. He said he wasn't sure where any cache of records might have gone, adding, "It could have been thrown out. I haven't been in the state Senate now for quite some time."
Obama's statement that he has no papers from his time in the Illinois statehouse — he left in 2004 — stands in stark contrast to the massive Clinton file stored at the National Archives: an estimated 78 million pages of documents, plus 20 million e-mail messages, packed into 36,000 boxes. While any file from Obama's time in the state Senate would be far smaller, the idea that no papers exist at all is questioned by one historian.
"Most of those guys do keep this stuff, especially the favorable stuff. They've all got egos," said Taylor Pensoneau, a historian who has written about Illinois legislators and governors and worked with them as a lobbyist for the coal industry. "It goes in scrapbooks or maybe boxes. I don't think it's normal practice to say it's all discarded."
Obama spokesman Ben LaBolt said Wednesday that "Obama has a track record of leading the way on reform and disclosure," adding that "correspondence with state agencies and records of requests Obama made to them on behalf of his constituents are available to the public and have been accessed by our opponents and members of the news media."
Pressed for details, LaBolt said Obama did not keep any correspondence with the general public. Ditto for letters to or from state associations and lobbyists, memos on legislation and correspondence with Illinois state agencies. The campaign said Illinois agencies have copies of his requests for information or help, but accessing those records would involve contacting the agencies and asking them to comb though eight years of records to find correspondence from Obama."
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/11/14/politics/main3503289.shtml
March 24, 2008 3:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
Not to get in too much of a back-and-forth, but the records Obama is talking about in the quote you have above are his state senat records, not his tax returns. And MediaMatters has alreday debunked the statement you quote from the historian Pensoneau.
http://mediamatters.org/items/200711150016
March 24, 2008 4:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
and he's the cleanest guy in Washington and was a leader in the senate for other elected officials (Hillary) to do the same.
Check out his senate record on ethics and lobbyists:
http://obama.senate.gov/issues/ethics_and_lobbying_reform/
Of course you could choose Hillary who said "Lobbyists represent real people"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaAkcXynqLA
March 24, 2008 7:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
Shouldn't the candidate her characterizes herself as the "most transparent" candidate be leading the way on these types of disclosures? Or is this another example of one of those Clintonian "misstatements" (e.g., Bosnia)?
March 24, 2008 2:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
What about her earmarks?
March 24, 2008 1:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
Three days
Just now we're finding out that she failed the commander-in-chief test from the First Lady Records...two weeks ago
We need Bill's records and his foundation's too.
That's where the NAFTA like-stink lies
March 24, 2008 1:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
I tend to believe things when I see those things.
March 24, 2008 1:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
And I categorically take wolfson at his word. I guess about a week or so ago he was whining and saying "categorically" that the release would occur on April 15, when taxes are due. Now it's April 18? Why not March 25? I am sure they are copied and ready to go anyway.
I will bet anyone a lunch that the release does not occur on April 18. PA is too important for the clintons for them to keep their train wreck of a campaign going. Any takers?
March 24, 2008 1:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
Look for a release of over 10,000 pages to stymie reporters from doing actual investigative work with only three days before the PA primary.
Does this include tax returns from 2000 to 2008? She hasn't publicly released those tax returns. Was this referred to during the conference call?
March 24, 2008 1:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
Exactly my question. Will this be all the unreleased tax returns during the time the Clinton's made tens of millions of dollars? Or will it be only the 2007 tax return.
March 24, 2008 2:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
My private theory has long been that Hillary will file a "Married Filing Separately" return for 2007 and that is all we will see.
March 24, 2008 2:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
That's what I think, too. We'll see Senator Clinton's separate return for 2007 and possibly some restated returns from prior years that include only her income.
March 24, 2008 2:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's still possible that this won't leave enough time for any revelations therein to sink in with the Pennsylvania electorate, of course.
If there are any revelations the Pennsylvania primary results will not matter. It's all about the super-delegates at this stage and her biggest argument is electability. If there is something for the media / Obama campaign / GOP to latch on to, it will be enough to finish her I think.
My bet is that there won't be anything damning otherwise she'd wait longer.
March 24, 2008 1:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
Anyone ask the following questions:
1. Will the returns be unredacted and unaltered from the forms submitted to the IRS?
2. Why delay the release of prior year statements until 3 days prior to Primary? Are they filing amendments to any of the prior years? If not, then why delay?
3. If these questions have been asked, but not answered, I think reporters should note that fact.
Seems to me the media is being pretty damn lax about her evasion on this issue and others (the silence on the Bosnia lie is just DEAFENING).
March 24, 2008 1:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
CBSNews has something about it (Bosnia) and the NY Times Caucus blog just posted something about it. Howard Woolfson admits that Clinton may have "misspoken" about the trip to Bosnia, while insisting that the region was dangerous.
He also refers to her book where she says that "reports of sniper fire" (reports, not actual sniper fire) forced them to cut short an outdoor event...and describing that as having to run from the airplane with their heads down is "misspeaking".
I'm sorry. I've resisted bringing this up, but this is a bit like Bill's "misspeaking" about that whole sexual relations thing.
When another candidate does it, it's a lie. When Clinton or John McCain do it, it's "misspeaking".
March 24, 2008 2:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
Three days before the primary, huh? I presume this means that they'll be releasing her tax returns on Saturday, the proverbial black hole of political news coverage. Either that or late Friday afternoon, the corresponding event horizon of said black hole.
Some transparency.
March 24, 2008 1:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
In other words, they'll release them Friday at 4:30 when no one is paying attention and most likely too late to have an impact.
March 24, 2008 2:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
I bet that she will create some "obama-drama" just prior to this release of tax returns (if she intends to release them at all). And, of course, "journalists" like Greg will fall head over heels to cover that obama-drama and by the time they get around to the tax reurns, it would be too late.
March 24, 2008 2:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
I just went back and looked at the past conference call on this issue, and Wolfson said that the tax returns would be released on the 15th. Why is he moving it up to the 18th?
March 24, 2008 2:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
So, um, why can't she release them now? I still don't get why she has been able to never give an answer to that. She has no reasoning as to why she can't release them, but she is remarkably capable of pacifying reporters by saying that she will at some point. Incredible.
March 24, 2008 2:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
Is that three calendar days or three business days?
March 24, 2008 2:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
only three days?
Didn't they originally promise they would release the returns on April 15th?
And isn't the primary on April 22nd?
NOw...call me silly but having only 3 days to examine them is a lot better for the Clinton's then having a whole week to look at them.
If i didn't just spell it out in plain detail, i'd be compelled to ask why the clinton's broke their word when it comes to the April 15 promise.
March 24, 2008 2:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah.. she did.. back before March 4th.
March 25, 2008 6:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
Before they said April 15. Now, it's down to a Friday before a Tuesday primary (and how much do you want to bet they're released at 5:00 on Friday). So, even if you get some enterprising reporters to work all weekend, they'll like find themselves unable to reach key people for the kinds of follow-up questions they'll need, so any reports that come out Monday will be weak.
Yeah, that really meets the spirit of disclosure.
But all this delay is making me wildly curious. What the hell *is* in those things?
March 24, 2008 2:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
She will do what they always do when they release this type of information. Some pages will be removed for "lack of relevance" or "personal security" purposes.
March 24, 2008 2:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wow, that's rather amazing. So she exaggerated big time and tried to make herself out to be a bullet-dodging heroine. This makes her other claims of being "Commander-in-Chief" and, now lately, "Commander-in-Chief of the Economy" almost poignant.
March 24, 2008 2:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
sorry, guys...this was posted to the wrong story! please do carry on here with your good comments on this tax return matter...
March 24, 2008 3:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
Will they be releasing the past several years or just this year?
Big difference. We need to see last year's at least.
March 24, 2008 2:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton needs a Commander in Chief over her Taxes records!!!!!!
March 24, 2008 2:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
We're so used to lies that we need to attach "catagorical" to our answers to let everyone know we're telling the truth for a change. How pathetic are we?
March 24, 2008 3:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
Who knows... on planet Clinton, much like the planet Mercury, a day is approximately 88 earth days long.
So, that really means anywhere from 264 days before or after the primary.
March 24, 2008 3:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
Why not today? What's the issue here? They have been running their campaign for over a year.
March 24, 2008 4:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wonder if they will be redacted?
March 24, 2008 5:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
I thought she pledged to release them *on or before* April 15th?
March 24, 2008 5:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
I can't believe we as a nation are even considering four/eight more years of these pair of hacks- otherwise knows as Clintons.
March 24, 2008 8:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sounds like she wants to keep the tax returns out of the April 16 PA debate, and that she is still considering the April 19 NC debate -- but she wants to keep the returns out of that debate, too.
March 25, 2008 2:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
I proposed that TPM hold a contest to guess Hillary's income. We could ask for the Adjusted Gross Income and some other details, like total federal taxes paid and therefore tax rate.
There are two things that I think she is relucant to show. The first is how much money she or they made. Too much to maintain the lunchbucket Hillary image she is cultivating. The second is the source(s) of the income. How much for Bill from doing intros in former Soviet republics, and how much of that good work carries over if Hillary makes it to the White House.
My guess is that whatever we get to see, it won't be much, not enough years, not enough detail, not enough time. They have been pushing the date back -- McAuliffe also promised April 15 -- as if Hillary were burning the midnight oil with green eye shade on just to make that last calculation. What nonsense! Tax returns for 2006 and prior would be fine.
March 25, 2008 2:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
If anyone has beaten me to it, I will gladly yield the "scoop." But scanning through these comments, it could say an awful lot that no one seems to wonder where John McCain's tax forms are?
March 25, 2008 4:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
http://www.ajc.com/news/content/news/stories/2008/03/18/CAMPAIGN_TAXES_0318.html
March 25, 2008 4:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
That may have something to do with the fact that November is a bit down the road.
March 25, 2008 6:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
What happened to Hillary's promise to release her returns by April 15 at the latest - probably a few days before?
Three days before the primary is Saturday, April 19. Talk about burying them! What is she trying to hide?
March 25, 2008 5:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
Of course they're hiding something. 3 days? Two weeks would be fair.
Even a week would be too tight for it to be investigated and then reported on and then for that information to trickle through the electorate.
She's also afraid to have a debate more than a few days before an election. Why? Because she spins in debates and it takes at least several days for her spin to be debunked and then voters informed of the facts.
March 25, 2008 8:00 PM | Reply | Permalink