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James Fields talks with U.S. Sen. Harry Reid special project manager Michael Vannozzi while delivering signed petitions calling for presidential candidate Mitt Romney to release tax documents Friday, August 10, 2012 outside Reid’s office at the Lloyd D. George Federal Building in Las Vegas.
By Tovin Lapan (contact) 
Friday, Aug. 10, 2012 | 2:35 p.m.
Sen. Harry Reid
Mitt Romney
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s tactics in calling for Mitt Romney to release years of tax returns might be in question, but Reid’s message is resonating with many.
Reid, who cited an anonymous source who claimed the presumptive GOP nominee for president did not pay taxes for a ten-year stretch, has come under fire from a chorus of critics who said has he was playing political games at best and was a liar at worst.
Yet, a CNN poll released Thursday showed 63 percent of respondents thought Romney should disclose more of his tax returns, and Friday a Las Vegas chapter of the group MoveOn.org delivered a petition to the Nevada Democrat’s downtown office supporting Reid’s efforts to force Romney to disclose more of his financial information. Thus far Romney, a multimillionaire, has released his 2010 tax return and is releasing his 2011 return, as well.
“We want to let Harry Reid know that we support his request for Romney’s taxes,” said Jim Walsh, who started the petition and was one of a dozen MoveOn.org members who delivered approximately 39,000 signatures to Michael Vannozzi, Reid’s manager of special projects.
“When Romney ran for senator of Massachusetts, he requested Ted Kennedy’s tax returns. Frankly, I’d like to see 20 years of his returns to get a good picture, but 10 will suffice,” Walsh said.
In 1994 Romney ran unsuccessfully to unseat Kennedy, Massachusetts’ longtime U.S. senator and a Democratic Party icon. Romney declared during that campaign he would release his own tax returns after Kennedy released his. In the end, neither candidate released their returns. In 2002, all of Romney’s Democratic opponents for Massachusetts governor released their returns, but Romney did not.
Vannozzi thanked the group for its support of Reid but said he was not authorized to comment on the issue or what Reid’s next move would be.
“Romney is applying for a job, and we are the interviewers,” said James Fields, another of those delivering the petitions. “We demand transparency so we know what we are getting. Romney’s father knew that one year of returns was useless.”
Fields also handed Vannozzi a pair of boxing gloves as a symbol of their support for Reid, a former boxer, taking the fight to Romney.
“We, the undersigned, respectfully request that Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney release at least the last 10 years of his income tax returns as Senator Harry Reid has requested,” the petition read.
President Barack Obama has released his tax returns for every year dating to 2000.
Romney’s father, George, released 12 years of his tax returns in a then-unprecedented demonstration of openness in 1968 when he ran for president.
Reid also claimed that Romney used oversees accounts to dodge his true tax bill, depositing “his money in secret, overseas accounts in places like Switzerland and the Cayman Islands.”
Days after Reid made his push to back Romney into a political corner, Romney pushed back during a speech in North Las Vegas.
“Harry Reid really has to put up or shut up,” Romney said.
“Let me also say, categorically, I have paid taxes every year — and a lot of taxes,” Romney told reporters after his speech in North Las Vegas. “So Harry is simply wrong. And that is why I am so anxious for him to give us the names of the people who put this forward. I wouldn’t be at all surprised to hear the names are people from the White House or the Obama campaign.”
Reid has said his source was “extremely credible” but has refused to name the source or give further details regarding the veracity of the claims.
The MoveOn.org members said the petition, which started six days ago, would be online for another week or two and they will continue to collect signatures.
Is the fact that Romney hasn't released his returns illegal? If so he needs to show them. If not, its a non issue. If moveon.org has a beef they should ask the good senator to PASS A BUDGET which is a constitutional law.
Romney has done everything that is asked under the law. Which is more than could be said about Obama. It's time for thie pathic little man Reid crawl back under his rock.
What a joke. I hereby start a petition that I want all of Harry Reid's tax returns made public. This is in consideration of the fact not one has ver been published. HYPOCRITE!
So a corrupt politician is asking for tax returns from a corrupt businessman in hopes of gaining votes for a corrupt president? Business as usual.
Pinky is not only a bum, but evidently he promulgates inferior intelligence in those that blindly follow him.
So when Reid was running for re-election and was asked for his returns to prove that he had legal income to account for his massive increase in wealth he refused on the grounds that there was no legal requirement for him to do so.
But now he's unwilling to accept the same response from Romney?
I say that Reid should release one year of his own tax returns for every year that he wants Romney to release.
Uh oh. Less than three months til Election Day and the GOP nominee is losing support. Might be time for Teabag Nation to panic.
Polls are showing that Mitt the Twit is beginning to melt, like the Wicked Witch of the West in the Wizard of Oz. And like the evil witch Mitt is in big trouble.
Does anyone really believe Mitt the Twit is capable of coming back from a 7 point deficit in the polls with less than three months until Election Day?
For any teabagger who does, I have some nice beachfront property in Arizona that you might be interested in. Lots of palm trees and sand, uh huh.
As I watch this campaign play out.. it appears that the R's are on the wrong side of every issue important to the people.. and are on the right side of every issue important to Big business, wealthy people, and the ultra conservative religious groups.
Interesting way to run for President.. against the people! Especially half the people - Women!
This is SO TYPICAL of the dual standard......too bad I have not had one of these petitioners approach me, they will get an earful because I am so FREAKIN tired of Harry's stunts......and frankly I don't care how many signatures he gets, it is NOT THE LAW....therefore it is NOT A REQUIREMENT.....
LastThroes**************************************** Go back under your rock. These so called polls are not accurate. The only true poll is what the candidates have . It's 3 mos to the election and many lies ( especially about BO Transcripts and no one remembers him when he went to Columbia)will come out. Are u aware how the Community Organizer won the job in Chicago ? They eliminated 1 candidate because of personal issues and the other dropped out. We are in a critical election and if BO wins our country will never recover. Does our deficit matter or reducing the military or what happened with the Tarp money or housing or UNEMPLOYMENT? If it doesn't matter vote for the Socialist.
Robber romney stole billions from the american economy by exporting jobs, and closing factories.
Reid has done none of this.
This is a huge difference.
chazbean, get a clue. This is like 2008 deja vu all over again, only worse for republicans. In 2008 McCain ran on what? No one can can remember. Ditto for Willard in 2012, another no-policy, no-substance candidate.
Time to get used to it. President Obama will win a second term. Teabaggers should start looking ahead to 2016. Just an opinion.
@LastThroes. Ever heard of Jimmy Carter? He thought he was going to win too.
So I'm supposed to very scared and react to a bunch of liberal morons recently released from opportunity village who have a bunch of signatures from other recently released opportunity village people whose names are the likes of Terrel Owens and Michael Mouse. That's funny.
BrianD, please try to accept reality. It'll be good for yourself and all other teabaggers.
The hard truth: Willard Romney is headed for an epic defeat. He's an embarrassing, awkward idiot. Most people see him as an uncaring rich guy.
Romney has all the charisma of a cold cucumber. His supporters should lower their hopes and expectations to alleviate the certain disappointment that's sure to come.
(Don't shoot the messenger. It's not about me. I'm just trying to help.)
LastThroes..Was just stating a fact. I'm no "teabagger" I can tell you that much. I just have common sense. It's never over til it's over. I've come to the conclusion that no matter who wins my paycheck will either stay the same or go down or worse yet I'll be out of a job. Glad to know you have nothing but name calling when responding to comments about your posts. Typical.
Brian, this may be the most idiotic comment posted on this board, and believe me, there have been many.
"Ever heard of Jimmy Carter? He thought he was going to win too."
Brian, WTH does Jimmy Carter in 1980 have to do with an election in 2012? Seems to me this is the problem with Baggers -- they're not living in the present.
These the same people who are rounded up and trucked to vote with the promise of cash vouchers if they vote for a democrat? Guess they do not have much else to do but wait for their first of the month trip to walmart
Seriously LastThroes?? More name calling? Sad. You need to go back to what I said. Polls will change...7 points isn't anything with 3-4 months left.
Brian......
It's over for willard.
PRESIDENT OBAMA will win by a landslide.
I don't really care teamster. How are your Yucca Teamsters doing? Or how about the Teamster locals who have taken pay cuts or stagnant wages the past 4 years (City of Henderson, NLV)? Enjoy!
Romney can destroy Reid now, all he has to do is release all his tax returns.
What is the holdup Gov Romney??
I would like a forensic CPA to go over Harry Reid's tax returns for the past 15 years. This includes his limited liability companies and S corporate tax returns. Harry Reid will never allow it as will disclose how he and his family benefited from various land deals. Who is kidding who? The real issue is the failed administration of Obama. Harry will soon be the minority leader of the Senate anyway.
This just in: Mitt Romney did pay taxes in 2010 according to an Authoritative "source." That "source" acknowledges Mitt paid $2.8 million on earnings of $20 million. The "source?" Why none other than Osama Obama & his nasty campaign compadres! They are running another of their malicious ads trying to divert our attention from Osama Obama's putrid record and it quite clearly states that Mitt paid 14% in federal taxes on earnings of 20 mil. But those cretin Dumbocrats want to have it both ways - Harry the Red lying that Mitt paid NO taxes for 10 years and ads complaining he only paid 14%. No one can make up this stuff! Dumbocrats are simply not to be believed! Come this November - vote Mitt!
Those hits to his head early in life are really taking a toll on this moron along with his lemmings. What a slimeball!!!!!
A petition is a waste of time. Romney has been ignoring the call of his opponents to show his tax returns for many years.He showed them to McCains people only to try and fulfil his pathetic dream. He has only two choices now. He can ignore the true Americans and lose in November or he can show the tax returns and prove Harry Reid is right. He will still lose the election and he has doubled his chances today by selecting Paul Ryan as his running mate. Gordon Gecko and Bud Fox, but which one is which?
'The bottom 50% of earners don't pay ANY taxes'
'The top 10% are paying 90% of the taxes'
'The deadbeats at the bottom aren't paying their fair share'
..blah blah blah...
.......show us what you paid Mr. candidate.....
"Uh......no.....that's a personal matter."
What a waste of everyone's time, money and effort..
The issue is about the lack of jobs and how much BHO and company have wasted.
Sorry SickOfSome...87 days! You have issues if you feel the need to correct my approximate time frame by about 3 days.
Sorry, Mr. Allison...
But that just ain't so.
This 'issue' is separate from your perceived job performance of the President.
Many Americans simply refuse, and rightly so, to take Mittens at his word that he 'pays lots of taxes', and that he paid his fair share on his way to amassing his fortune, at least some of which is hidden away in offshore bank accounts...
It's a legitimate request, all things considered.
SHOW US YOUR TAX RETURNS ALREADY, MITT!
I am the one that bought those gloves. I am an independent that was supporting Ron Paul. We have a right to know what we are voting for. I am the worst nightmare for both parties. I vote for the person that I believe will do the best job. I have spent a lot of time looking at gov Romney and believe he has a democrat record of liberal programs when he was Gov. I have also look at where he got money to start Bain. I would suggest that ever one before they go to the poles do the same. Today we are in the 2000s and ever thing you do is on the net. I do not care who you vote for as long as you find out what you are voting for.
Do not believe anything I say but type these words Mitt Romney, Bain, Death Squads. Then read about Romney as Gov. If you believe he is the man for the job vote for him. It is time that congress did their job we have to many problems no one is working on. I believe the GOP has the wrong man running and it will be 4 more years of Obama God help us.
The only thing Harry Reid knows how to do is tell lies, lies, and more lies. He is a dirty, filthy liar who continuously spouts dirty, filthy lies. He has no other ability.