A day after an Election Day that saw the Republican Party lose ground in the House of Representatives, President Donald Trump presided over a wild press conference.
Now that the House of Representatives is controlled by Democrats, more and more attention is being paid to the fact that subpoena power is also controlled by the Democrats. In light of this, ABC News White House Correspondent Jonathan Karl brought up the subject of Trump’s tax returns again.
ABC News' @jonkarl: "Point blank. Democrats go after your tax returns, will you try to block that?"
President Trump: "Look, as I've told you, they're under audit, they have been for a long time, they're extremely complex, people wouldn't understand them" https://t.co/lUtqlAEMC2 pic.twitter.com/mJFlHWd39t
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) November 7, 2018
When asked about them, the president said, “Look, as I’ve told you they’re under audit. They’re extremely complex. People wouldn’t understand them.” You may recall that the New York Times made an effort to explain Trump’s wealth in ways the people would understand: “Trump Engaged in Suspect Tax Schemes as He Reaped Riches From His Father.”
Trump even argued shorthand that the Times had made a rookie mistake: They simply don’t get the concept of “time value of money.”
The Failing New York Times did something I have never seen done before. They used the concept of “time value of money” in doing a very old, boring and often told hit piece on me. Added up, this means that 97% of their stories on me are bad. Never recovered from bad election call!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 3, 2018
In any case, the president said Wednesday that “[P]eople don’t understand tax returns.” And, as the New York Post noted, Trump is the first president in decades not to release his tax returns. Nor is there an IRS regulation preventing him from doing so.
Let’s just say some skeptical Twitter users weren’t about to let a good burn opportunity go to waste. Here is a sampling of that smorgasbord:
Why Bother Making a Big Deal About FISA Warrants, Then?
https://twitter.com/AshaRangappa_/status/1060226544369655809
The American People Are Simply Too Dumb to Know?
Trump says Americans are too dumb to understand his tax returns: "They are extremely complex. People wouldn’t understand them."
— David Corn (@DavidCornDC) November 7, 2018
Every Working Adult Files Taxes Returns.
People understand tax returns.
Every working adult files them.
Where there are complex deductions, experts will explain simply.@realDonaldTrump is not a billionaire, no matter how he'll try & spin it.
We may see that he no longer owns Trump Tower, nor has he 4 years.#TaxReturns— Lincoln's Bible (@LincolnsBible) November 7, 2018
Somebody, Anybody, Call in the Tax Nerds.
Trump asked about his tax returns again raises the canard that he's under audit (Nixon released his returns while under audit) and suggests that they're too complicated for anyone to understand (I'm sure there are plenty of tax nerds who would dispute that)
— Robert Maguire (@RobertMaguire_) November 7, 2018
Not One Person in America Can Understand Your Tax Returns?
https://twitter.com/MsMollyRachael/status/1060221754524737539
The Coup de Grâce.
Trust me, if you can understand them, I’m confident I can understand them. https://t.co/3Y7ogEk9AE
— Daniel S. Goldman (@danielsgoldman) November 7, 2018
[Image via ABC News screengrab]
This is an opinion piece. The views expressed in this article are those of just the author.
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