By Thomas Madison
Speaking to Neil Cavuto on Fox News, Mike Huckabee had some advice for Donald Trump in regard to releasing his tax returns, as Mitt Romney demands. Huck’s advice: “DON’T!”
Huck knows of which he speaks, as he relayed a story involving a young candidate who thought it would be wise to release every tax return he has filed since getting married. That young candidate was Huckabee himself. Although his returns were perfectly normal, his opponents “nitpicked through those tax returns,” misrepresenting items, accusing him of financial misdeeds.
I would give The Donald the same advice. Don’t release the returns, at least not until after November, and I’m not sure it would be a good idea even then. The Democrats will attack him for hiding his financial dealings, but that’s as much damage as they can do.
With the mountain of paperwork that represents a single Trump tax return, his enemies will tear them apart and sensationalize every line item. “He’s too rich!” “He doesn’t give enough to charity.” “He owns casinos.” “He doesn’t pay enough in payroll, thus he must be starving his employees.” There is no end to the trouble they can cause by misrepresenting portions of the returns. If they can’t see the returns, they can’t misrepresent anything! Like all the other candidates, Trump has submitted the required financial disclosures, as required by law.
Those, like Mitt Romney, who are demanding that Trump release his tax returns in addition to meeting the same requirement as the other candidates, have a clear and nefarious agenda.
“Never help somebody load a gun when it is pointed at your own head,” Huck declared. Good advice!
