Quote:
Originally Posted by RichieLion
I wouldn't let this go if I were Mitt Romney.
Any unauthorized release of information on a person's tax returns is a federal offense with a penalty of up to $5,000 and/or a 5 year prison sentence, and if that violation is committed by any officer or employee of the United States, he shall, in addition to any other punishment, be dismissed from office or discharged from employment upon conviction for such offense.
Harry Reid is making allegations against Romney that are either lies, or if true have been leaked to him or by him.
Either way this is a serious breach of the public trust and an investigation should be launched to find the truth of this.
If I was a key member of the Romney campaign I would be before every media outlet I could find and demand this. This is a bigger story that whether Romney releases his pre 2010 returns, which he has already released.
26 USC § 7213 - Unauthorized disclosure of information | LII / Legal Information Institute |
The regulation you cite is very specific. It applies to release of information by government agents not private individuals. There is a separate law which applies to professional tax preparers who knowingly or recklessly disclose information and that is a misdemeanor. There is no law which says that if Richie Lion told me in a conversation that he paid tax at a 28% rate, that I cannot repeat that information. By the way are you related to Snoop Lion? I suspect this information came from Mitt bragging about his tax liability of zero after he deducted his horse and his houses and his off shore accounts and whatever else, all perfectly legally. And now people who heard him brag either first hand or otherwise are reporting the rumor. Nothing in the law relates to this situation and it fits the picture painted by Reid of multiple people reporting the same rumor, which may be entirely false
Clear it up Mitt. To attack Reid to try to get him to reveal his source is only going to backfire. To allege it came from the White House makes it sound more likely to be true than less likely as the White House has pretty good access to information. Release your returns, complete with all forms. Not missing stuff