Subject: Newark Star-Ledger Editorial: What's Trump hiding? A political liability, probably
From: "Berns, Jeremy" <[email-masked]>
To: Comm_D <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 13 May 2016 08:19:35 -0700

What's Trump hiding? A political liability, probably <http://www.nj.com/opinion/index.ssf/2016/05/whats_trump_hiding_a_political_liability_probably.html>
By Star-Ledger Editorial Board <http://connect.nj.com/staff/njosledit/posts.html>
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on May 13, 2016 at 10:00 AM, updated May 13, 2016 at 10:04 AM

The speculation over Donald Trump's tax returns has begun and promises to be a pile-on. Hillary Clinton<http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2016/05/hillary_clinton_assails_donald_trump_over_tax_retu.html> fired the starter's pistol Wednesday in Gloucester: "You've got to ask yourself, " she mused, "why doesn't he want to release them?"

Perhaps he paid zero taxes by using depreciation provisions. Maybe he wrote off another yacht purchase as a casino expense. His charitable expenses would be itemized, and maybe Ted Cruz was right that gave to "liberal groups."

Or perhaps the returns will reveal - oh, the humanity - that he's not a billionaire.

We only know is that The Donald describes his returns as "very beautiful" and offers absurd excuses for hiding them until after the election. His usual excuse - an "ongoing IRS audit" - shows his contempt for his supporters: That is not a legal barrier to releasing returns, tax experts <http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/trump-s-tax-returns> confirm.

He could have political motives, however. Mitt Romney, who stumbled down this path in 2012, says, "The potential for hidden inappropriate associations with foreign entities, criminal organizations, or other unsavory groups is simply too great a risk to ignore for someone who is seeking to become commander-in-chief."

But mostly, releasing a tax return is a commitment to transparency, and it's more relevant for candidates who cannot be judged on a record of government service. In either case, someone running for president should be willing to demonstrate that he has lived up to his tax obligations.

Trump can't be shamed into anything, much less releasing his returns. So for now, we are left to assume that the most revealing thing about them is his talent for deceit.