Perry renews his call for Romney tax docs
(CNN) - Former Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry on Tuesday reaffirmed his position that candidates should be forthcoming with their tax documentation, finding himself again at odds with Mitt Romney, his party's presumptive presidential nominee.
Perry first called on Romney to release his tax returns when running for the GOP presidential nomination, and in late January, Romney released his records for 2010 and an estimate of his liability for tax year 2011. He has since said that he does not intend to release additional years, as Democrats - and an increasing number in his own party - have called for.
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Perry addressed the issue when asked by a reporter in Austin on Tuesday.
"I'm a big believer that no matter who you are or what office you're running for, you should be as transparent as you can be with your tax returns and other aspects of your life so that people have the appropriate ability to judge your background and what have you," he said.
But the Texas governor steered clear of mentioning Romney's name, instead criticizing President Barack Obama.
"I certainly think it is inappropriate for the president of the United States to not keep his college transcript and his law school transcript public," he continued. "He should make those available."
Perry raised the issue in a January Republican presidential debate in South Carolina, saying he thought disclosure of tax returns is a "fair thing" to request.
"Mitt, we need for you to release your income tax so the people of this country can see how you made your money," he said. "Listen, here's the real issue for us: as Republicans, we cannot fire our nominee in September. We need to know now. So I hope you'll put your tax records out there this week so the people of South Carolina can take a look and decide if, you know, we've got a flawed candidate or not."
Romney responded at that debate that he "hadn't planned on releasing tax records" but was "not opposed to doing that" later, "in April or tax season" should he become the nominee.
"I looked at what has been done in campaigns in the past with Senator McCain and President George W. Bush and others," he said. "They have tended to release tax records in April or tax season."
He characterized the financial paperwork all presidential candidates file as "a pretty full disclosure."
He released the 2010 document and 2011 estimate several days later.
Several Republicans have recently called on Romney to be more transparent or said they would be more transparent if in his position, including former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, editor of The Weekly Standard Bill Kristol, the conservative writer George Will, and Matthew Dowd, the chief campaign strategist for President George W. Bush.
On Tuesday, Romney said in an interview that Democrats would use the records to "distort" him.
- CNN's Ashley Killough and Dana Davidsen contributed to this report
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He should really stay home in Texas and do Marlboro commercials.
What's with that picture of Perry? Is he trying to fly?
the convention going to be interesting -lot of republicans don,t like romney
Romney doesn't have to be transparent like...I don't know...his own father!!
Well he'll never be considered VP material now.
It's that funny, even the GOP think Rmoney should release his tax documents...
I never thought I would say this, but I agree with Gov. Good Hair for once. Romney does need to release more than 2 years of his tax returns. To not do so gives the impression that he has something to hide, if only that he pays very little in taxes as percentage of his income when compared to many Americans. Similarly, Obama should release his college and law school transcripts, if only to shut people up.
Obviously he's hiding something...
I don't believe that there is anything illegal in Mitt's Tax returns that he is trying to hide. I'm sure everything was filed perfectly and paid and that is the real reason he doesn't want them released. Because if they are, then the public will know exactly what kind of benefits he actually receives in deductions and lower rates that the common people don't have access to. And that is the real problem with the issue. Once everyone sees exactly the breaks he does get it will be even harder for him to continue on with his message of lowering the top tax rates even more to help "job creators" That is his only plan for the economy and the common people of this country are sick of hearing it.
Well Mr. RoMoney, your record is being distorted because you fail to disclose. With Swiss bank accounts, Bermuda, Cayman Island tax and other foreign investments/shelters what could possible be in those documents to cause your opposition to distort them?
One thing Santorum had right was RoMoney was the wrong candidate, but not because of health care rather due to his tax records.
Is it possibly the $100 million dollar trust fund set up tax free for your sons that might be an embarrassment?
Republicans win when the ignorant vote.
I love that photo of Rick, he's so good with his hands!
Did he excite anybody on death row this week ?
Mitt does not need to be so bullhead about his tax returns. However, this attack is simply a distraction from the terrible state of the economy that obama has created.
Remember repubs, Perry is a former democrat and voted for Gore!!! YIKES he really is on obummers team of cronies... Stay away if you know what's good for you.
“I do not know why, given that Mitt Romney knew the day that [John] McCain lost in 2008 that he was going to run for president again that he didn’t get all of this out and tidy up some of his offshore accounts and all the rest". George Will
For me, however, Romney claims that he believes that the Democrats will use his tax information as a weapon against him. I say if Romney has nothing to hide then release the records early. Further, if the tax records could be considered a weapon and they are benign like water or a pillow then why would you care if your enemy had a benign weapon?
Perry needs to crawl but into the hole in which he came, rlease your college transcripts, what sense does that make, he has no worry because he has none.
republicans really hate romney. they'd give any other guy a pass.
Yeah mitt, what are you afraid of? Release the records, be transparent, please
Romney is hiding millions in the Caymans, Luxembourg, and Swiss Bank Accounts. Only crooks need to hide their money, overseas. Bain Capital provided money laundry and tax havens for foreign criminals
Wake up America!
I am the Teaparty Speculator in Chief of Tennessee and we call on the Justice Department and the SEC to fully and completely investigate Mitt Romney for the period indicated in his SEC filings between 1999-2003 that prove he was in charge of Bain Capitol. We welcome this investigation as it will prove exaxtly the kind of man he is for the American people. 10 years of tax returns is expected as well since our Governor Romney has nothing to hide. We challenge those that believe otherwise.
tax docs for college transcripts and obamas naturalization papers.
Its too late. He needed to do this weeks ago.
He's right. A cabinet member would never be certified by Congress if all they turned in were one or two years worth of tax returns. But, Mitt Romney feels he has done all that is required by law, which he has. Unfortunately, Romney has not conformed to the RULE of thumb that says release tax returns. Mitt Romney lives by his own set of rules that he defines for his personal advantage.
Romney thinks that leadership and strength. In this case, however, it comes arrogance and out of touch. Romney is living and breathing the stereotype that the Obama campaign is making him out to be.
Romney will never give-in and release his tax records and his brainless followers will vote for him anyway. He knows this, so why do it.