Text size +

Obama: What is Clinton hiding in tax returns?

Posted by Foon Rhee, deputy national political editor March 5, 2008 05:14 PM

And Barack Obama's campaign is starting to hit back.

The first issue: Hillary Clinton's tax returns, which she has said she won't release until and when she becomes the Democratic nominee.

"The Clinton campaign today maintained that 'the vetting of Barack Obama has just begun,' " the Obama said in a memo sent to reporters and others. "The truth is, more than a year into this campaign, some very simple vetting of Hillary Clinton has yet to start.

"In the face of her unwillingness to release her tax returns, Hillary Clinton has made the false case in this campaign that she is more electable because she has been fully vetted. When it comes to her personal finances, Senator Clinton’s refusal to release her taxes returns denies the media and the American people the opportunity to even begin that process. Though her campaign has tried to kick the issue down the road, Democratic voters deserve to know, right now, why it is she is hiding the information in her tax returns from last year."

The memo raises questions, including whether the Clintons used any tax shelters to reduce their tax bill, how much in taxes they paid for household help, and how much they gave to charity.

Obama was put on the defensive in the closing days before Tuesday's primaries over a meeting a campaign adviser had with Canadian government officials on the North American Free Trade Agreement and Obama's ties to a former fund-raiser whose federal corruption trial started Monday. Late-deciding voters in both Ohio and Texas went for Clinton.

UPDATED: The Clinton campaign highlighted the fund-raiser in its response, saying that 20 years of Clinton's tax returns and 15 years of financial disclosure statements are already public.

"Faced with many legitimate questions about Senator Obama's long-time relationship with indicted political fixer Tony Rezko, the Obama campaign has chosen to lash out at Senator Clinton," Clinton communications director Howard Wolfson said in a statement. "Instead of making false attacks, we urge Senator Obama to release all relevant financial and other information related to indicted political fixer Tony Rezko."

UPDATE: Terry McAuliffe, Clinton's campaign chairman, just said on MSNBC that she will release the return around the time of the tax filing deadline on April 15 and before the pivotal primary in Pennsylvania on April 22.

10 comments so far...
  1. There's the jab ...wait for the punch...

    Posted by Arun Shastry March 5, 08 01:40 PM
    Reply | Report this post
  1. Clinton viciously attacked Obama with allegations based on nothing but innuendo and gatcha' politics and he tried to remain above the fray. He and his surrogates have to take off the gloves now and hit them with everything from whitewater, to this election's campaign fund raising scandals. She has shown a willingness to destroy Obama piece by piece with dirty political tricks and he can't be shy about attacking her right back to show the party how divisive Hillary Clinton really will be.

    Posted by Pat March 5, 08 02:44 PM
    Reply | Report this post
  1. Completely agree that it is time to hit back. The people like the idea of their president using diplomacy as a first course but they also need to know you will fire the missle if necessary. Time to start firing the missle. She needs to start answering questions.

    Posted by BrianT March 5, 08 03:04 PM
    Reply | Report this post
  1. He's getting this advice from that RACIST Cornel West who was all upset that Obama dissed the State of the Black Union thing. It's OBVIOUS that this man is CHANGE THAT CAN ONLY BE XEROXED. Everything comes from his advisors and HIMSELF. I can't stand Scientology freaks like him. He is racist and inexperienced.

    GOOGLE on YOUTUBE and you will see how RACIST Cornel West really is. He used the SAME argument there and Obama is trying to use these same tricks on Hill.

    Posted by Melinda B March 5, 08 08:22 PM
    Reply | Report this post
  1. I have a hard time believing so many Americans are falling for Obama and his hollow promises. I would find it hard to believe Hillary would have anything questionable on her tax return from last year. Come on people she isn't the one that woke up one morning and decided to run for President. And he does need to show his financial records concerning this Rezko character. If he doesn't have anything thing to hide he has nothing to worry about. And he should produce them immediately. He is very good at trying to turn all eyes off of him and on to Hillary anytime his integrity is in question. The way I see it Hillary hasn't been hard enough on him. He needs to be held accountable.After the past 8 years I can see why Americans are ready for a change, but are we so eager that we will risk our country to get it?

    Posted by Texasqueen March 6, 08 11:15 PM
    Reply | Report this post
  1. Hillary can't uphold the public trust if she can't disclose. I'm getting bored with her political shenanigans, old school gutter politics.

    Posted by IntegrityAmerica March 7, 08 02:04 PM
    Reply | Report this post
  1. Hillary will not show you her tax return because of all the porn and sex scandles that Bill has wrote off. Your tax dollars HARD at work.

    Posted by matt March 7, 08 09:48 PM
    Reply | Report this post
  1. I am so confused. I googled Obama's tax returns and saw nothing for 2007. HAs he released his returns? I am not playing "devil's advocate," but I see nothing for Obama. If it such an issue, why isn't he posting his returns?

    Posted by Taylor M Harvey March 8, 08 01:50 AM
    Reply | Report this post
  1. Where are Obama's returns? I am confused. I have googled them, and all I see are the questions about Hiilary. Does he not have to file as a Senator?

    Posted by Taylor M Harvey March 8, 08 01:59 AM
    Reply | Report this post
  1. Hillary is a liar

    Posted by Larry Chavez March 30, 08 02:43 PM
    Reply | Report this post
add your comment
Required
Required (will not be published)

This blogger might want to review your comment before posting it.

About political intelligence Field reports from Boston Globe reporters and editors covering the 2008 presidential campaign and the national maneuvering of Bay State politicians.

Send your comments to masspolitics@globe.com

archives

browse this blog

by category