It’s not just Democrats calling on Mitt Romney to release more of his tax returns. Republicans have joined the chant, too. As Lean Forward noted Sunday, the editor of conservative publication The Weekly Standard Bill Kristol emphatically called on Romney to release more of his returns, adding to this Republican chorus.
The Daily Rundown put together a clip of the three latest Republicans who called on Romney to release more returns. It doesn’t include those in the GOP who had already suggested the Republican candidate for president should be more transparent on his returns, including former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour and strategist Ana Navarro.
“The best thing to do is to just get everything out in the open and just say, ‘I have nothing to hide and I’m going to release my tax returns.’” – Gov. Robert Bentley (R-AL)
“If something’s going to come out, get it out in a hurry. I do not know why—given Mr. Romney knew the day [John] McCain lost in 2008 that he was going to run for president again—but he didn’t get all of this out. – George Will, conservative columnist for The Washington Post
“He should release the tax returns tomorrow. It’s crazy. You’ve got to release six, eight, 10 years of back tax returns.” -Bill Kristol, The Weekly Standard
Rundown guest host Luke Russert grilled the Romney campaign’s communications director, Gail Gitcho, on why the campaign continues to refuse these requests.
“Considering all the grief you’ve gone through over not releasing these tax returns, does that not suggest that you’re holding on to something more damaging that you’d rather endure this?” Russert asked. “Nope. Luke, it doesn’t suggest that,” Gitcho returned. “What it suggests is the Obama campaign wants to talk about tax returns. The American people are not worried about Mitt Romney’s tax returns; they’re worried about their own tax returns.” On Friday, Romney said he will not release any further tax returns other than the 2010 one his campaign put out earlier this year, and his 2011 return once it’s complete. Not all Republicans disagree with his decision. Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell defended Romney on Monday’s Andrea Mitchell Reports. “Americans aren’t concerned about Mitt Romney’s tax returns,” he said. “they’re concerned about their tax returns and the new taxes that Obama is putting on the American people.”
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