Ryan will release two years of tax returns; says he gave Romney team 'several years'
(CNN) – Rep. Paul Ryan said Sunday he gave Mitt Romney's vice presidential vetting team "several years" of personal income tax returns, and that he would release two years of those returns to the public – the same number as Romney, the presumptive GOP nominee.
Democrats, as well as some Republicans, have called on Romney to release more than his 2010 and 2011 information, saying the voting public is entitled to know more about a candidate's financial history. Romney has consistently responded by saying his level of disclosure is beyond the legal amount and that two years give a good reflection of his tax situation.
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"It was a very exhaustive vetting process," Ryan said on CBS' "60 Minutes." "It's a confidential vetting process, so there were several years. But I'm going to release the same amount of years that Gov. Romney has."
A spokesman for Ryan later confirmed that the presumptive vice presidential nominee would release two years of income tax returns "as soon as we're ready."
Romney has disclosed his income tax returns from 2010, and released an estimate of his 2011 tax information in April. He has vowed to release 2011's full return one it's completed by his accountant.
Democrats say the lack of disclosure puts Romney at odds with a precedent for presidential candidates set by his father, George, the former Michigan governor who released 12 years of his tax returns when running for president in 1968.
Some Republican observers, including the editorial pages of the National Review and the New Hampshire Union Leader, have urged Romney to release more of his returns to quiet the political debate.
Ryan said Sunday that voters weren't interested in his or Romney's taxes, and were looking for the two presidential campaigns to return to substantive issues of economic policies.
"What I hear from people around this country, they're not asking, 'Where are the tax returns?' They're asking where the jobs are. 'Where's the economic growth?' Those are the issues that matter," Ryan said.
The calls for more disclosure "are more or less distractions to try and take us off the fact that the president has given us failed policies that aren't working," Ryan said, saying the Republican campaign would instead "focus on what it takes to turn this country around and get people back to work."
CNN National Political Correspondent Jim Acosta contributed to this report.
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Skeltons uderneath!! Why release them? Thats almost asking for a death penality. I can release all my 10year tax returns if anyone would ask me today.
Good luck to all voters and God bless America.
I guess if Ryan shows more than 2 years of tax return, Romney will have to do the same. Hey Ryan don't follow Mitt, you'll be in trouble.
Only two years. sounds like team romney has a lot to hide.
The guy who does not want to release his tax returns wants to see what's in his running mate's tax returns. How ironic?
All it takes is for the Teapublican controlled House of Representatives to approve a JOBS BILL !
How many years of tax returns did Romney have to give the Koch brothers before they agreed to "buy" him? I guess with that crowd being an unethical thief just makes you a regular member of the team.
Uh, huh. Sure.....
Of course, Ryan has nothing to hide like Romney; apparently he already his brown nose up you know what so he doesn't embarass Romney with his willingness to be transparent. The majority of people ARE very interested in Rmney's tax returns; who wants a tax cheat (as well as a draft dodger during the Vietnam war) for President? The President sets a moral example-if he can cheat and use loopholes to pay far less than his share of taxes, we should all do the same.
Mr. Romney, we still want to see your tax returns.
No returns, no votes.
Romney , show us your taxes !
Why is he shooting himself in the foot with this? I doubt there's anything in those returns other than proof that he's a smart businessman. I just don't get it. He should just dust the cobwebs off of a decade or two of returns and get everyone to be quiet about it. The longer he persists in withholding the more he fuels speculation about what's in them.
What are these guys hiding and afraid of? That we will find out how little they pay in taxes, what foreign investments they hold, how few charitable contributions they make, how little actual work they do? To paraphrase what Cuba Gooding once said in a movie "Show me the Returns".
Ryan probably isn't hiding anything but he sure couldn't release more than Romney who IS hiding something – A LOT of somethings.
If Romney gets elected without releasing his tax returns then we are officially the dumbest country on earth.
Mittens is obviously hiding something since he won't release more of his tax returns. The question is why won't he release more of his returns? Is Harry Reid on to something about MIttens not paying taxes for 10 years? Romney did have off-shore accounts that he recently closed. The question is did he pay taxes on those off-shore accounts?
Mittens not releasing his tax returns will dog his campaign along with Ryan's Tax plan. That's one reason why the Democrats were jumping for joy for Ryan being picked as his running mate.
Ryan said we aren't interested in their taxes??? Speak for yourself Paul. I AM interested in Mitt's returns.
Ok we're asking.....where are your taxes Mr Romney?
Ok...Here's a voter asking....Where are the tax returns? Let's see if that helps...I won't hold my breath!
We the voters want to see 10 years of your tax returns.
I am very interested in both candidates tax returns. I believe some individuals are still concerned about President Obama's birth certificate and continue to demand he provide a birth certificate. I demand that these two release their tax returns so that we can make an informed decision if they have the character to lead this country. If you wanted to get a mortgage you would have to provide this information. What are you hiding?
He is releasing twice as many as Romney. We still haven't seen Romney's 2011 returns. I wonder if Ryan's plan would work if everyone got out of paying taxes like Romney did for at least 10 years.
So what!!! I agree with Ryan "distractions to try and take us off the fact that the president has given us failed policies that aren't working" ...... Its an obvious tactic of misdirection. The Obama team will use sleight-of-hand misrepresentation and tried to create feelings of class warfare to keep people from focusing on how his failed policies have hurt America. I just hope that they Romney Ryan team rises above the mud throwing nonsense and sticks to the issues. Obama's failed presidency is enough muck without silliness like his birth certificate or relationships with radicals like Bill Ayers. That's yesterday's news leave it there.
You have got to be kidding me... This is how they plan to make this go away??? I am starting to believe that Romney is actually on the Obama or DNC staff!!!
I most certainly am interested in his and Romney's taxes. make no mistake...Romney and Ryan are applying to me for a job...so I think it's perfectly legitimate for me to decide what information is relevant and what is not.
And Romney having a Swiss bank account with UBS during the time which UBS paid a $780 million dollar fine for helping wealthy people evade taxes, and Romney now refusing to release his taxes for that time period...well...that raises serious and legitimate questions about Romney's integrity.
No...he is not required to release his taxes. But then, I'm also not required to hire him as my president.
What a joke... Mitt the Twit released ONE tax return, are you kidding? ONE is enough? Of course Paully isn't going to release more, even if he actually has nothing to hide (unlike his new master)