Sunday, September 27, 2020

BOMBSHELL -- Trump The Tax Dodger

 Surprised not surprised:

The New York Times has obtained tax-return data for President Trump and his companies that covers more than two decades. Mr. Trump has long refused to release this information, making him the first president in decades to hide basic details about his finances. His refusal has made his tax returns among the most sought-after documents in recent memory.

Among the key findings of The Times’s investigation:

  • Mr. Trump paid no federal income taxes in 11 of 18 years that The Times examined. In 2017, after he became president, his tax bill was only $750.

  • He has reduced his tax bill with questionable measures, including a $72.9 million tax refund that is the subject of an audit by the Internal Revenue Service.

  • Many of his signature businesses, including his golf courses, report losing large amounts of money — losses that have helped him to lower his taxes.

  • The financial pressure on him is increasing as hundreds of millions of dollars in loans he personally guaranteed are soon coming due.

  • Even while declaring losses, he has managed to enjoy a lavish lifestyle by taking tax deductions on what most people would consider personal expenses, including residences, aircraft and $70,000 in hairstyling for television.

  • Ivanka Trump, while working as an employee of the Trump Organization, appears to have received “consulting fees” that also helped reduce the family’s tax bill.

  • As president, he has received more money from foreign sources and U.S. interest groups than previously known. The records do not reveal any previously unreported connections to Russia. (our emphasis)

 Some initial reactions --


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This has to come up at Tuesday's debate.  When and if it does, there'll be flop sweat rolling from Mango Mussolini like a waterfall.  This throws him off any script he might have right before this critical head- to- head with Joe Biden.  Biden should definitely pound him and remind taxpayers what he must think of them ("suckers" and "losers") at every opportunity.

2 comments:

donnah said...

Well, it comes as no surprise to most of us who always believed that Trump was hiding damaging financial information. He ran for president largely on the premise of being a hugely successful businessman. I hope this disclosure is just the beginning of a flood of proof of his criminal behavior over twenty hears or more.

It's important to flesh out the details and facts and make clear that his failure to manage his fortunes has compromised himself politically. Who knows what dirty deals he has hidden away? Who knows what he owes, and to whom? It's scary.

I hope this all gets a lot of further investigation and proof of his guilt. It's time to really drain the swamp.

W. Hackwhacker said...

donnah -- it does come as no surprise given earlier reporting and his desperate attempts to keep his taxes under wraps. A current benefit of this bombshell's timing is rattling him and throwing him off message just before the first debate and right after his moment basking in the SCOTUS nomination he stole.