Washington Post: Liberal Groups Join In Fla. Ad War Against Mitt Romney
On January 25, 2012, the Washington Post reported:
Broadcast ads aren’t the only tactic available to Democratic-aligned groups hoping to influence the Republican contest. American Bridge for the 21st Century, a liberal super PAC that focuses mostly on opposition research, blanketed Columbia, S.C., with hundreds of hot-pink leaflets trumpeting Romney’s support for gay rights during the Massachusetts phase of his political career. The group said the leafleting was aimed at sowing doubts among Republicans in the state about Romney’s conservative bona fides. “It’s not that we were trying to portray him as a quote-unquote liberal, but to show that he’s flip-flopped on so many key issues,” American Bridge spokesman Ty Matsdorf said. “It’s highlighting his lack of core beliefs.”
TPM: Three Key Questions Raised By Romney’s Tax Revelations
On January 25, 2012, Talking Points Memo reported:
Romney’s revelations confirm that his effective tax rates in the past couple years have been as low or lower than those of workers with truly modest means. They also confirm that he’s availed himself of truly complex tax strategies designed to boil his liability down to the lowest level allowed by the country’s heavily rigged, labyrinthine tax code. And we know, too, that these are things Romney didn’t want voters to know — at least not yet. But they raise a series of new questions that will likely require Romney to disclose several years’ worth of additional tax returns if he wants to answer them satisfactorily. Here are three big ones that touch generally on the theme of Romney’s efforts to reduce his tax burden by taking advantage of areas of the law that simply aren’t available to most people...
Romney's Latest Flip: The 99 Percent
It’s been a tough week for Mitt Romney. After finishing a distant second in the South Carolina primary, Romney finally released his 2010 tax returns, revealing that he pays a lower effective tax rate than many working families despite his status as part of the 0.0006 percent. At Wednesday’s Univision forum in Florida, Romney took on a populist tone as he attempted to connect with middle-class voters. “I know what it takes to make America the most attractive place for jobs again,” he said. “I want to do that, not because I'm worried about the 1 percent. The 1 percent is doing fine. I want to help the 99 percent.” Of course, that’s the kind of language that Republicans – Romney included – typically deride as “class warfare” and the politics of “envy.” When asked last week how he would “support the 99 percent,” Romney accused his questioner of “hurting the country,” adding, “America’s right and you’re wrong.” Watch Romney's sudden change of tune:
AP: Thompson Earned At Least $8.5 Million Since 2005
On January 24, 2012, the Associated Press reported:
Former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson has earned more than $8.5 million in compensation since 2005 from a web of private sector companies that includes a prominent Washington lobbying firm, a medical device manufacturer and a globally recognized consulting firm, according to public filings and reports. Thompson's work in the private sector is getting fresh scrutiny as he mounts a bid for a political comeback, running for the U.S. Senate seven years after he left his last public post, as President George W. Bush's Secretary of Health and Human Services, and more than 13 years since he last faced voters. American Bridge 21st Century, a Democratic political group that researches Republican candidates and proposals, provided documentation of all of Thompson's publicly disclosed earnings to The Associated Press. They were then reviewed and independently verified.
On Fox News, Mitt Romney Lies About His Investments In Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac
On the January 25 edition of Fox & Friends on Fox News, Mitt Romney was asked about his personal investments in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. He responded by falsely claiming the investment was part of a mutual fund chosen by a trustee and part of his blind trust.
BRIAN KILMEADE (HOST): Yesterday Newt Gingrich joined us and said, "I just found out that Mitt Romney was in investor in Fannie & Freddie." What's the truth? MITT ROMNEY: [Laughs] That's pretty funny. My investments, of course, are managed not by me. For the last ten years they've been guided and managed by a trustee, they're in a blind trust. And the trustee invested in mutual funds and so forth and apparently one of the funds had Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac bonds.That's not true. As the Boston Globe originally reported in September: "And unlike most of Romney’s financial holdings, which are held in a blind trust that is overseen by a trustee and not known to Romney, this particular investment was among those that would have been known to Romney." Full research after the jump.
AP: Romney Paid $3M In Federal Income Tax In 2010
On January 23, 2012, the Associated Press reported:
One investment, listed as a "Federated Government Obligation Fund" and worth between $250,000 and $500,000, was a mutual fund that included both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac assets among a larger pool that included other government securities. The holding was not listed in Romney's blind trust, which led some Democratic Party activists to suggest that the investment was under his direct control. "He is relentlessly attacking Newt Gingrich over his ties to Freddie Mac despite the fact that he personally invested up to a half a million dollars in both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac," said Ty Matsdorf, a senior adviser with American Bridge 21st Century, a PAC associated with Democratic Party and liberal causes.
POLITICO: 5 Reasons Romney's Taxes Matter
On January 23, 2012, POLITICO reported:
Many presidential candidates — and presidents, for that matter — have been very rich guys. So why the big fuss over Mitt Romney’s taxes?
MEMO: Romney’s Taxes – What We’ll Be Looking For
With the impending release of Mitt Romney’s taxes, we thought it might be helpful to highlight a few of the items we will be looking for in his 1040. It is important to note that no matter what his taxes reveal, it will be an incomplete picture of his finances, which could be clarified by examining his taxes back to his Bain days. Form 1040 Home Address -- In which state did Romney declare residency? Line 7 Earnings -- Did Romney earn any wages, or did all of his income come from other sources? -- Did Romney receive K-1 earnings form a partnership in a corporation? Line 8a Taxable Interest -- How much interest did Romney earn? Line 8b Tax Exempt Interest To calculate the percentage of taxes Romney paid, this line must be added to his total income, because it only appears on this line (because it is tax exempt).Although it is not taxable, this is still income. Line 12 Business Income -- Did Romney claim any business income? If he owned any businesses it could appear here. His speaking fees could also likely appear here. Line 13 Capital Gains -- How much income did Romney receive that is taxed at a lower capital gains rate? Line 21: Other Income This is where some unknown unknowns should show up. If there is a number here, there will be additional paperwork. Line 22: Total income Again, to calculate Romney’s real income, add line 22 + line 8b tax exempt interest. Line 28: If a business Romney owned made retirement contributions, it could appear here. Line 40: Itemized Deduction Total Romney’s deductions, including charitable giving will be outlined on Schedule A and totaled here. Line 45: AMT -- Does Romney pay the AMT? See more after the jump.
POLITICO's Arena: Is Newt An Embarrassment?
The real embarrassment for the Republican Party is that this is the best slate of candidates they could field. South Carolina was just won by a part-time candidate, and the only thing he has done well during the campaign is feign indignation. This speaks to a serious disconnect between the Republican Party establishment and voters. For the establishment, Mitt Romney was the inevitable nominee. But to voters, he is a candidate who can't be trusted, is known to say anything if he thinks it'll help him get elected, and whose massive personal wealth blinds him to the real struggles that working class American families are facing. That is why Republican primary voters have been so desperate to support anyone but Romney. We see the same disconnect between congressional Republicans and the American people. Americans wanted a Congress that would set aside their partisan differences and work with President Obama to fix our nation's economy. Instead, they've been rewarded with congressional Republicans fixated on social issues, and who've placed winning elections above helping the American people. It's no surprise they're reluctant to support the candidate who has puts profits and elections above personal values, Mitt Romney.
Boston Globe: Senator Scott Brown’s Crass Warfare
On January 18, 2012, Boston Globe columnist Brian McGrory wrote:
If I’m correctly reading Brown’s bizarre logic, Warren is guilty of being a class traitor? She shouldn’t be able to make money because she grew up relatively poor? Or once she did make money, she should have become an advocate for the rich?