Charles C. W. Cooke:
I’ve read the New York Times’ ”bombshell” story three times now, and I’m still not entirely sure what all the fuss is about — at least not if the case being made against Donald Trump is “he paid no taxes for a while!” rather than “he’s not the entrepreneurial genius he says he is.”
For a start, I’m extremely uncomfortable with the anonymity that the Times afforded its sources. Is this how we are going to proceed from now on? Don’t misunderstand me: I am as bothered as anybody else by Trump’s refusal to release his tax returns — and not only because I think that presidential candidates should do so, but because Trump has reneged on a promise that he would. But if the new rule is that any refusal to do so will be met by leaks . . . well, that’s a dangerous path, especially given that the leak could plausibly have come from anywhere, including the IRS.
As for the details in the leak, I must confess to being wholly unimpressed. As far as I can see, Trump did nothing legally or morally wrong, which means that the best case against him is that his not paying taxes is a political problem for his campaign. Insofar as this case rests upon the billion dollar loss per se, I get it; Trump does like to say that he’s a business genius, and he’s quite obviously not. I can also see that it’s embarrassing given that Trump is on record complaining about Americans who don’t pay taxes. But the central argument I’ve seen — that Trump is rich and yet has often paid a lower tax rate than most voters! — is absolute bunk. For a variety of extremely good reasons — outlined well here and here – Americans are not expected to pay taxes on their losses. And, as Ryan Ellis notes over at Forbes, that rule benefits far more people than just Donald Trump:
We were told that this tricky NOL was some sort of “loophole” that only super-rich bad guys like Donald Trump got to use. We were told that this relieved him of having to pay taxes for 18 years, a laughably arbitrary, made up number that is the tautological output of simple arithmetic and wild assumptions.
The New York Slimes and ALL THE SLUDGE THAT’S FIT TO PRINT this is the same liberal rag who had the infamous Walter Duranty that lied totaly about stalins war crimes against the Ukraine and Herb Mathews who lied about Castros war crimes This news paper is a waste of trees
FOX News established the reporting of claims from unnamed sources as the new journalistic standard several years ago, if I remember their Benghazi coverage correctly. Almost everything they rolled out was from unnamed sources on the ground in Benghazi, unnamed sources inside the intelligence community, or unnamed sources close to the investigation.
In any case, it’s not too difficult to come up with plausible theories about who might have leaked selected excerpts from Trump’s 1995 tax forms. Means? Check. Motive? Check. Opportunity? Check. So, there’s a suspect.
Marla Maples swore if Donald Trump ran for President, she’d take him down. Now it appears she has.
We shouldn’t jump to conclusions, however, no matter how obvious they seem. Anybody this guy has ever stepped on, demeaned, or damaged is a potential suspect, provided they at some point had his tax forms at the same moment they had access to a photocopier.
@Greg: I doubt you remember anything correctly. You only say what you are told to say.
Unlike a large number of people on the right, I don’t seem to have any serious memory problems, or the attention span of a goldfish. Virtually every accusation about Benghazi began with a FOX News claim attributed to an unnamed source. Seven Congressional investigations later, not one of them has been proved to be true. The last one was so embarrassing that the formal report didn’t even include a summary or findings section. It’s 800 pages of nothing.
@Greg:
That’s it Greg, be a good little democrat typist and whitewash history. Such a tool you are willing to believe the unbelievable. I suppose you still think it was caused by a video, seek help…….
@Greg:
Now this:
Seems that we have been vindicated, all along the CGI, aka “cash grab initiative” was a criminal enterprise designed for money laundering and nothing else. The Potemkin village aspect of a “charity” is nothing more than a smoke screen.
The risk posed by mrs clinton as POTUS with having taken so much money for influence could be detrimental to the National Security of this Nation. And the clintons did it all for money for themselves and nobody else…..
@Greg:
Benghazi was a lie from beginning to end with obama and mrs clinton taking the lead. Both are guilty of treason and should be dealt with accordingly…..
WiKiLeaks: Leaked email reveals Hillary Clinton’s team debating how to cover-up and spin the Benghazi story?
WASHINGTON – Potentially damning new information has been revealed in leaked emails made available to the public by WikiLeaks. Email #9722 appears to show how Hillary Clinton’s team used the Associated Press and State Department to destroy subpoenaed emails and cover-up the tragic events that occurred in Benghazi.
You can read the entire leaked email from WikiLeaks here.
Her comments, “what difference does it make at this point” only solidify what we have recently learned, mrs clinton has contempt for the American People, both private citizens and those in public service. If an individual is of no use to the clintons, they are expendable…..
THE CLINTON BODY-COUNT
47 Bodies Left in the Wake of Hillary Clinton: Part 1
Arkancide.com
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton reportedly wanted to drone Wikileaks founder Julian Assange when she was secretary of state.
The outpost was left vacant for 10 days before the FBI got there to investigate, assuring the full and complete destruction of any evidence that was left behind.
The State Dept slow walked congressional FOIA requests, they destroyed evidence, lost evidence via US mail and boxes of emails missing from FBI itself. As late as April of this year they were still finding documents held back. Had they turned over the documents in a timely manner ALL of them the investigation wouldnt have had to go through 8 sequels costing so much money. Greg you are a tool, and your president is threatening Russia with a cyber attack, an act of war. The leak at the DNC was from the inside but they are screaming Russia hacks without a smidgeon of proof.
If the Progressives are so freaked that Don didn’t pay Federal income taxes for a few years they need to fix the tax code that also benefits Hillarys Donors.
They progressives didn’t unleash this potty mouth and the abused women until he spoke about energy and coal, this policy would not benefit the Saudis who fund her campaign and donate to her “charity”
Its the reason they have destroyed the middle east the petro-dollar, The loans for the US could be chipped away at if the US was energy independent. but solar panels are no longer made in America the Saudis have invested billions in that industry, follow the Money Greggie the empress wears no clothes and the Prez needs to cover for the next in line.
All we are saying is give peace a chance, all this war mongering done by these freaks is stripping the wealth out of the country.
@kitt:
And it will only be a matter of time before we learn that this whole smear on trump with women was and has been orchestrated by the clinton smear team. They are professionals at this as they could not have possibly been as successful in politics without the ability to smear their opponents.
The Clintons had to smear whom ever they were going to oppose in the general because there is nothing else to recommend mrs clinton to be POTUS. She has not accomplished anything. I accomplished more this morning having completed my necessary morning biologicals than mrs clinton has in her entire life….
@July 4th American: Wikileaks has already exposed this has been in the works for months. Baby Bush will get a 10 million dollar pay off for his part in this, a lawsuit against his unjust firing lol. Such a web of deception, they are still playing the same old game they played before the information highway, another reason the US gave our property away.
I know this isn’t jaw dropping for you.
@kitt:
Just as manderson pooper relentlessly pressed Trump to deny his alleged sexual exploits in the Sunday debate so they could release the “bimbo eruptions” this week.
This has been artificially manufactured, period.
@kitt: and 4/07
Are you suggesting a “vast left wing conspiracy.” Was Billy Bush in on a set up? How bout Howard Stern?
Pride comes before the fall.
Trump did this to himself.
@Richard Wheeler: Shock radio is just that, he was on the air to increase Sterns ratings. The timing of the release of the bus tape then the”victims” coming forward was in emails exchanged. And Baby Bush is being rewarded for his part in this. Its all I said and all I meant. Its all old stuff nothing recent, conspiracy no, politics Clinton Machine Style politics yes.
There are reports of Donald being kind to people, there are books of Clinton being a crude rude hag.
@kitt: Smash mouth politics. Trump loved it when he was denigrating his Repub opponents and their wives.
When he gets hit in the mouth he cries like a baby. This bully is getting a taste—
HRC 325—-DT—213 And it AIN’T RIGGED YOU CLASSLESS LOSER.
@kitt: Can you stomach Trump and all the B.S coming from his mouth?
The way I see it—he loses—thank your higher power–. Marco Rubio beats HRC in 2020–he could have beat her this year
His reaction to Obama wanting to involve DHS in the election, His rantings have a light undertone of truth. Assange has has had his internet access cut off what are they so afraid of ?
If Trump loses it wont be a higher power that puts her there.
http://www.rawstory.com/2016/10/us-general-charged-with-lying-to-fbi-in-stuxnet-leak-case/
See what happens to those that strike out at Obamas loved ones, little pay back for hurting Iran.
They all get it in the end just like seal team 6.
@kitt: Trump is unhinged and dangerous as are his crazed Trumpists.
He possesses not an ounce of humility or grace–the main reasons I’ve disliked him for over 30 years no matter he wore a D an I or an R Same classless bully of men and women
Semper Fi Which foot was it Donald?
Who is going to strike at Qbama’s loved ones? Is that a less than veiled threat?
@Richard Wheeler: Obamas loved ones= the terrorist nations that are chanting death to America, and we would love to stop these nations from hurting the USA. They had butthurt when Osama was killed, sacrifice seal team 6, they had butthurt when the enrichment of uranium was sabotaged, General James Cartwright will be sacrificed.
Are you nutz enough to think I would directly or indirectly threaten the family of the POTUS?
And can you be more specific as to unhinged get me a few examples, when there is video proof DNC operatives have been at rallies to stir shit up.
Kitt: Are you rooting against the coalition to take Mosul and rout ISIS?
” Loved Ones” usually connotes family.
Obama’s at 54% approval. Why not stick with trying to improve Trump’s 35% approval?—about 29% with women.
I’ll give ANYONE 3-1 AGAINST Trump MY $300 AGAINST there $100 Curt can hold the money. Any takers?
@Richard Wheeler: Surround it and blow ISIS in Mosul to their reward, my bet is every Christian that had not fled the city has provided a severed head, a soccerball for the terrorists children.
The Christians of Iraq were considered to be one of the oldest continuous Christian communities …. possessions stolen. According to Patriarch Louis Sako, there are no Christians remaining in Mosul for the first time in the nation’s history.
Yes loved ones normally means family, there isnt anything normal about our POTUS, I have never seen anyone circumvent the law so much while in office and not get slammed by the congress. Just about everytime for the favor of terrorists.
I really dont know how much real love there is between the Obamas, he is on the golf course an awful lot. http://www.usatoday.com/story/theoval/2013/04/05/obama-michelle-obama-single-mother/2056927