Romney weighs in on releasing tax returns
(CNN) - Mitt Romney responded to recent Democratic-led attacks on his personal finances, suggesting Wednesday he had no intention of meeting their demand to release tax documents dating back prior to 2010.
"The Democrats are always going to be critics. We have released all of the financial statements required by law and two years of tax returns," Romney said on Fox Business Network.
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Over the last week, President Barack Obama's campaign and national Democrats have been blasting Romney over reports that the candidate holds offshore investments in places considered to be tax havens for Americans–Bermuda, the Cayman Islands and Switzerland.
On Tuesday, Vice President Joe Biden launched one of the campaign's harshest lines of attack yet, calling on Romney to "show your papers" during a speech in Las Vegas.
Romney's campaign has been pointing to the fact that it released the candidate's tax returns for 2010 and an estimate for 2011, as well as further financial disclosure documents required by federal election law.
Romney, whose worth is valued up to $256 million, said Wednesday he'll put out his most recent year of tax returns "as soon as that's prepared."
"Tax information is there, other financial disclosure is there; the same level of information that John McCain and John Kerry for that matter released when they were running for president," Romney said.
Also in the interview, Romney responded to those who say he's not tough enough in fending off attacks on the campaign trail.
"I respond to the attacks that come, but they say in politics if you are responding, you are losing," he said. "I think the better course for our campaign is to respond to the attacks as being completely off base."
And as speculation swirls over when Romney will announce his running mate pick, the candidate declined Wednesday to give any hint into the decision-making process.
"I can't tell you anything about the VP process. If I did, I would have to come after you with my 'Men in Black' flashlight and erase your memory," Romney said referring to the popular movie.
- CNN's Ashley Killough and Shawna Shepherd contributed to this report.
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What is the Bishop Romney afraid of by hiding his taxes? He has been claiming all is legal so why don't he show it to the American people so as to put that to rest? Fishy!We want to know if he has been cheating,evade taxes. Why make this a complicated issue Mr.Felicia floor the outsourcer in-chief? Come clean bishop.I will join Mormon cult if you come clean and shame your adversaries.God bless America.
Come on Mitt you gave 20 years of tax returns to McCain when you wanted to be VP. So what are you hiding? Is that why McCain didn't select you? So many questions about this elitist secretive man. Follow your Dads lead Mitt release your last 12 years of axes like your dad did. Americans have right to know....
ohhhh yeah this is a whammy if he is refusing to release it....something is definitely distrubing
If the candidate is required to offer two most recent years of returns as he himself stated, and 2011 is not yet prepared, then why has he not submitted 2009? What is he hiding in the 2009 return???
It's funny how Romney gave McCain over twenty years of tax returns in 2008 before being asked for McCains VP position,but he didn't get the part,I wonder why..He also said Pres.Obama was outsourcing jobs because of taxes hurting small businesses,Romney outsourced overseas his call center and other office branches of government when he was governor of Massachusetts,he didn't tell anyone that,did he!!Why don't he come up with his records,harddrives and such he supposidly destroyed after leaving as governor,what was he hiding then,something illegal?And if he does have some off shore accounts why don't he turn them over for inspection to IRS like the birthers and their hounding of this president on his birth certificate.They still won't stop on that subject so Romney should be questioned as well because of his dirty corporate past dealings with Bush and others,that there should be enough for a proper political inquiry I assure anyone!!Romney just looks sleezy,like a cheap car salesman at a lousey run down car lot that's all,like most of these republicans on Capitol Hill today,all cheap suits,fake hair,Trump style!!!
He's obviously hiding something.... Those who have no fear hide nothing