Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
I did a post about the possibility that Willard "Mittens" Romney availed himself of the Swiss bank account amnesty program in 2009 -- which I believe in more strongly now that Romney has publicly stated that he has been audited by the IRS. (The tax returns he is not releasing to the American people would be "amended" tax returns after this audit).
Bob Lord suggested in response that maybe what Romney is hiding is that he did not tithe to the Mormon Church at even the minimum amount of ten percent. It looks like Bob has company.
Bill Buck, a Democratic strategist, writes in his column "The Buck Starts Here" at CBS - Boston, Harry Reid Gives Mitt Hell:
Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) shared something interesting in an interview with the Huffington Post yesterday: an investor in Bain told Reid that W. Mitt Romney had not paid any taxes over a ten year period.
* * *
[T]he source coming to Harry Reid for these revelations adds a level of intrigue. Reid just happens to be the highest-ranking member of the Mormon Church in the history of this nation.
It is likely that Senator Reid’s source shares the Mormon religion with Reid and Romney.
That message will not be lost on Romney. If the Bain fortress is not a fortress; if people are talking, Romney knows that trouble lies ahead.
And the motivation for this leak may not be political. It is likely personal and tied to the Mormon Church.
Specifically, if Romney was hiding money from the IRS he may have hidden money from his church.
It is expected that members of the Mormon Church tithe a minimum of ten percent of their incomes. But if Romney was not paying taxes and hiding money, then his disclosure – which itemizes deductions, including to the church – would tip off his actual income to the IRS.
Even more telling, Senator Reid specifically says that Romney’s father, George, would be ashamed of his son.
It is true that Mitt’s father, who set the precedent of releasing multiple years, would be ashamed of the son’s lack of disclosure.
Another reason for such a strong statement from Reid is that Mitt’s father would be ashamed for religious reasons.
This is something I have speculated about in this space in the past: a large part of Romney’s reluctance to release his records may be based on his relationship with his Mormon Church.
Some have speculated that Romney’s donations to the church might be a problem with the American public. Perhaps it is Romney’s shortchanging of his church that is Mr. Romney’s concern.
One would think the Mormon Church would be interested to know what is hidden in Romney's tax returns as well. After all, in her now infamous "you people" interview, Ann Romney matter-of-factly stated "We tithe 10 percent" to the Church. There is only one way to verify this bald assertion: release the tax returns. The brother elders may want to have a talk with you about your tithing.
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