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'I never paid less than 13 percent' in taxes, Romney says
By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
August 17th, 2012
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)
August 17th, 2012
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)
"I did go back and look at my taxes, and over the past 10 years I never
paid less than 13 percent," Republican presidential candidate Mitt
Romney told reporters at the Greenville-Spartanburg International
airport in South Carolina. "I think the most recent year is 13.6 or
something like that. So I paid taxes every single year." There had been
widespread speculation about Romney's tax returns, which has remained
closely guarded.
Romney has received harsh criticism from both Democrats and Republicans for his refusal to release more of his tax returns. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said that an "extremely credible" source from Bain Capital, which is the private equity firm Romney founded, told him personally that Romney avoided paying taxes for 10 years.
"Harry Reid's charge is totally false," Romney said. "I'm sure waiting for Harry to put up who it was that told him what he says they told him. I don't believe it for a minute, by the way. But every year I've paid at least 13 percent, and if you add in addition the amount that goes to charity, why, the number gets well above 20 percent."
Romney's campaign had previously denied that he never paid taxes. The event marked the first time he's offered more specific information about what he has paid in taxes in the past.
When queried in an interview on July 29, as to whether he's ever paid a rate below 13.9 percent, Romney told ABC News, "I haven't calculated that. I'm happy to go back and look, but my view is I have paid all of the taxes required by law."
Romney said that with the many challenges facing America, "the fascination with taxes I've paid, I find to be very small-minded."
The Obama campaign stepped up to the plate and issued a challenge to Romney.
"Mitt Romney today said that he did indeed 'go back and look' at his tax returns and that he never paid less than 13 percent in taxes in any year over the past decade," Obama campaign spokeswoman Lis Smith said.
"Since there is substantial reason to doubt his claims, we have a simple message for him: prove it. Even though he's invested millions in foreign tax havens, offshore shell corporations, and a Swiss bank account, he's still asking the American people to trust him," the statement read.
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