Our View: Follow Reagan's advice and trust but verify Trump's tax returns
Editorial: Donald Trump should do what every presidential candidate has done since 1976.
- Presidential candidates routinely release their tax returns
- Donald Trump needs to let Americans fully judge his credentials
- Without Trump's tax returns, voters cannot make an informed decision
If Donald Trump has nothing to hide, he should release his tax returns.
Even some of his supporters have joined a call for Trump to do what candidates for president from both parties have routinely done since 1976.
Trump is applying for the most important job in the country and the American people deserve a chance to fully vet his credentials.
“Trust me” is simply not good enough.
A more appropriate – and Republican – response would be Ronald Reagan’s admonition to “trust, but verify.”
That Reaganism – used in reference to the Soviets – is a good segue into an important reason Trump needs to let Americans have a look at his finances.
What stake does Trump have in Russia?
Trump’s penchant for praising Russian President Vladimir Putin and Trump’s calls for better relations with the regime raised unanswered questions about what kind of Russian investments, debts or other financial entanglements Trump may have.
Several of his advisers have business ties to Russia or Russian politicians.
Trump has said he has “zero” investments in Russia.
RELATED:Charity watchdog calls Trump foundation 'unfocused'
Let Americans verify for themselves what Trump’s tax returns reveal about his dealings with Russia.
Trump says he can’t release the returns because he being audited by the Internal Revenue Service, but there is no law preventing the release. What’s more, there is no ongoing audit for his 2008 or earlier tax returns, yet Trump has not released those.
Donald Trump, Jr. said his dad’s 12,000-page returns are so complicated that analyzing them would distract from the campaign message.
Perhaps.
Even the first two pages would be a start
But as Fred Goldberg, who served as IRS chief counsel under President Reagan, noted in a guest commentary on CNBC's website last month, just the first two pages of Trump's Form 1040, along with his Schedule A, would "tell us how much he makes, how much he pays in taxes, and how much he contributes to charity."
The release of which, according to Goldberg, would have no impact on any pending or future IRS audit of Trump.
And increasing numbers of Trump's own supporters are saying they want a chance to have a look for themselves, according to CNN Money.
They are right.
Trump touts his achievements as a businessman as proof of his qualifications. But Americans know only what he tells them about his actual wealth, debts, tax bracket and charitable giving.
Recent investigation by The Washington Post raised more questions about Trump’s charitable foundation, including reports that he used more than $250,000 in foundation money to settle two lawsuits, something that may have been illegal.
It’s not surprising that Trump’s Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton jumped on this fact as one more reason for him to release the tax returns.
But the need for Trump to do what four decades of presidential candidates before him have done is not about his political opponent. It is about the American people.
It is about the need to show respect for the people’s right to stand with Ronald Reagan and say: Trust, but verify.