Hillary Clinton on August 12, 2016 released her tax return for last year and criticized her opponent Donald Trump for failing to honor this tradition among American politicians running for president.Clinton and her husband Bill, the former president, reported $10.6 million in income for 2015. They paid $3.6 million in federal income tax, according to the document, which was posted on the Democratic presidential candidate’s web page.
/ AFP PHOTO / SAUL LOEB
by Sarah Nacman
Eagle News Service Washington Bureau
Washington, DC (Eagle News) – Hillary Clinton released her 2015 tax return showing hers and husband Bill Clinton’s joint gross income of $10.6 million.
According to the Democratic presidential candidate’s website, the Clintons’ Effective Federal/State/Local Combined Tax Rate is 43.2%.
Clinton’s running mate, vice-presidential bet Tim Kaine, and his wife also released 10 years’ worth of tax return hoping to put a pressure on the Republican presidential candidate, Donald Trump, who has yet to release his.
Donald Trump said he is under audit by the Internal Revenue Service but it is a known fact that being audited by the IRS does not legally prevent anyone from releasing tax return information. Because of this, many are wondering if there is a damaging reason for such reluctance.
Tim Kaine posted on his twitter “just released my return” and asked Donald Trump “Where are yours?” Hillary Clinton working in tandem with her vice-president also posted on her own twitter account calling out Donald Trump.
Hillary, 68, called for a survey asking “Many people are saying Trump won’t release his tax return because he’s hiding something. What do you think it is?”
The Clintons paid $3.6 million in federal income tax, according to the document, which was posted on Hillary’s campaign website.
Over the course of their careers, the Clintons have published all of their tax returns since 1977. Democrats repeatedly point to this as evidence of transparency on the part of the power couple.
Democrats hint that by not releasing his tax returns, Trump may be trying to hide that he pays little to no tax, makes less money than he claims or gives a negligible amount to charity.
Trump, 70, presented the Federal Election Commission with a mandatory personal financial disclosure form in May and says this is enough.
That document gave only an estimate of Trump’s assets, liabilities and income.
Trump has said he is worth more than $10 billion, but no one has been able to confirm this independently. Forbes magazine estimates Trump is worth less than half that — $4.5 billion.
Republican and Democratic candidates in the last nine presidential elections — since Ronald Reagan in 1980 — have released tax returns at least for the previous year, according to PolitiFact.
(with a report from Agence France-Presse)
