The public service done by Democrats in releasing Trump’s tax returns
To the editor: Columnist Nicholas Goldberg scratched my head when he said, “Donald Trump should have made his tax returns public when he was running for president.” (“Should Congress Post Trump’s Tax Returns Publicly? I Don’t Think So,” Opinion, Dec. 21)
What Goldberg doesn’t point out is that the former president, who proclaimed last month, is now the 2024 nominee. Trump made no mention of his long-standing promise to release tax returns in his announcement. This is a practice followed by every president since Richard Nixon. The cover-up is understandable given the reportedly dubious respect given to Trump by the Internal Revenue Service.
I thanked the House Ways and Means Committee for its responsibility to demonstrate the inadequacies of IRS practices, and supported Goldberg’s call for Congress to codify tax transparency for all presidential candidates. We need to be more certain that only those with tax integrity records who have no conflicts of interest are able to hold the highest positions in the country.
Bennett Ramberg, Los Angeles
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To the editor: I never voted for Mr. Trump or his ilk, but I believe he has done a great deal of damage to our country. However, all citizens’ tax returns have always been classified by the IRS.
Since the Nixon administration, the House Ways and Means Committee has had every right to conduct an internal review of Trump’s returns to ensure they properly comply with the IRS requirement to promptly audit the president’s annual tax returns. was doing. (The IRS during the Trump administration apparently did not.)
But there is no legislative or oversight justification for publicly releasing Trump’s (or any other citizen’s) tax returns, especially since Trump is absent. If Trump wanted his return public during his candidacy (which he didn’t), it was his choice voters could appreciate.
It is simply bad policy for the IRS to publicly release citizen tax returns. It will also undoubtedly be the cause of future political reprisals.
Ken Goldman, Beverly Hills
The author was an attorney at the Office of Tax and Legislative Counsel for the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
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To the editor: I disagree with Goldberg on not releasing Trump’s tax returns.
Playing politics has nothing to do with it. The way very wealthy people may be avoiding taxes has something to do with it. is needed.
This also applies to other millionaires and billionaires who have not been audited. We have a right to know how much money the government can rightfully charge Trump and others for those who are truly in need.
Frances Ping, Marina Del Rey
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To the editor: One of your articles states, “Democrats argued in court that their interest in reviewing Trump’s taxes was based on the need to create legislation and simply did not intend to release classified information.” said.
Anyone who made that statement to the court should be charged with perjury. No one should be allowed to lie in court and get away with it.
Jim Ruff, Fountain Valley
This story was originally published in the Los Angeles Times.