Mitt Romney’s campaign manager emailed his counterpart on the Obama campaign and reiterated that Romney will not release any more than two years of tax returns.
“It is clear that President Obama wants nothing more than to talk about Governor Romney’s tax returns instead of the issues that matter to voters, like putting Americans back to work, fixing the economy and reining in spending,” campaign manager Matt Rhoades wrote to Jim Messina this morning. “If Governor Romney’s tax returns are the core message of your campaign, there will be ample time for President Obama to discuss them over the next 81 days.”
Messina emailed Rhoades early this morning requesting five years of tax returns. “Other Presidential candidates have released more, including the Governor’s father who provided 12 years of returns,” Messina said. “In the Governor’s case, a five year release would appropriately span all the years that he has been a candidate for President.”
He told Rhoades they wanted the tax returns so that they could look at issues “such as the range in the effective rates paid, the foreign accounts maintained, the foreign investments made, and the types of tax shelters used.”
Rhoades refused. “If Governor Romney’s tax returns are the core message of your campaign, there will be ample time for President Obama to discuss them over the next 81 days,” he said.
You can see the email exchange below, as released by the Romney campaign:
From: Matt Rhoades
Sent: Friday, August 17, 2012 8:47 AM
To: Jim Messina
Subject: RE: Letter regarding Governor Romney’s Tax Returns
Hey Jim,
Thanks for the note.
It is clear that President Obama wants nothing more than to talk about Governor Romney’s tax returns instead of the issues that matter to voters, like putting Americans back to work, fixing the economy and reining in spending.
If Governor Romney’s tax returns are the core message of your campaign, there will be ample time for President Obama to discuss them over the next 81 days.
In the meantime, Governor Romney will continue to lay out his plans for a stronger middle class, to save Medicare, to put work back into welfare, and help the 23 million Americans struggling to find work in the Obama economy.
See you in Denver.
Thanks,
Matt Rhoades
Romney for President
Campaign Manager
From: Jim Messina [mailto:JM270@barackobama.com]
Sent: Friday, August 17, 2012 6:36 AM
To: Matt Rhoades
Subject: Letter regarding Governor Romney’s Tax Returns
August 17, 2012
Matt Rhoades
585 Commercial Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02109
Dear Matt:
I am writing to ask again that the Governor release multiple years of tax returns, but also to make an offer that should address his concerns about the additional disclosures. Governor Romney apparently fears that the more he offers, the more our campaign will demand that he provide. So I am prepared to provide assurances on just that point: if the Governor will release five years of returns, I commit in turn that we will not criticize him for not releasing more–neither in ads nor in other public communications or commentary for the rest of the campaign.
This request for the release of five years, covering the complete returns for 2007-2012, is surely not unreasonable. Other Presidential candidates have released more, including the Governor’s father who provided 12 years of returns. In the Governor’s case, a five year release would appropriately span all the years that he has been a candidate for President. It would also help answer outstanding questions raised by the one return he has released to date, such as the range in the effective rates paid, the foreign accounts maintained, the foreign investments made, and the types of tax shelters used.
To provide these five years, the Governor would have to release only three more sets of returns in addition to the 2010 return he has released and the 2011 return he has pledged to provide. And, I repeat, the Governor and his campaign can expect in return that we will refrain from questioning whether he has released enough or pressing for more.
I look forward to your reply.
Jim Messina
Obama for America Campaign Manager
