General Discussion

flamingdem

(39,313 posts) Thu Jul 19, 2012, 12:34 PM Jul 2012

Did Mitt Romney Take the 2009 Swiss Bank Account Amnesty

http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2012/07/17/romney_s_tax_returns_is_the_2009_swiss_bank_account_amnesty_what_he_doesn_t_want_us_to_see_.html?tid=sm_tw_button_toolbar

When attempting to engage in baseless speculation over what it is that's in Mitt Romney's tax statements that's so embarassing he'd rather take the heat for non-disclosure, I think it's important to remember that he was actively running for president in 2007 and 2008. That means it's relatively unlike he was doing anything during those years that he thought couldn't withstand scrutiny. So why not release a nice even five years of tax data? Perhaps because of something that happened in 2009.
--- snip see link

Romney might well have thought in 2007 and 2008 that there was nothing to fear about a non-disclosed offshore account he'd set up years earlier precisely because it wasn't disclosed. But then came the settlement and the rush of non-disclosers to apply for the amnesty. Failing to apply for the amnesty and then getting charged by the IRS would have been both financially and politically disastrous. So amnesty it was. But even though the amnesty would eliminate any legal or financial liability for past acts, it would hardly eliminate political liability.

13 replies

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Did Mitt Romney Take the 2009 Swiss Bank Account Amnesty (Original Post) flamingdem Jul 2012 OP

My thought here is that if he's going to give us the opportunity to assume the worst about him, Cary Jul 2012 #1

Good point. He's left himself open to speculation. Even if he didn't do it flamingdem Jul 2012 #2

'The Opportunity Was There. In My Experience, It's Best To Take That Opportunity. When It's There.' The Magistrate Jul 2012 #9

I really do think this is a big part of why Romney won't release his returns... Spazito Jul 2012 #3

Have you heard a justification for why he did not include that report? nt flamingdem Jul 2012 #4

I think that would depend. Ruby the Liberal Jul 2012 #5

I think there was something about how he closed the account and flamingdem Jul 2012 #13

As of yesterday, it seems not... Spazito Jul 2012 #6

Why don't reporters just ask him? alcibiades_mystery Jul 2012 #7

YES, Governor Romney, did you participate in the 2009 IRS voluntary disclosure program?" swayne Jul 2012 #10

Maybe I'll email Anderson Cooper flamingdem Jul 2012 #11

And the earlier non-disclosed money for which he sought tax forgiveness aint_no_life_nowhere Jul 2012 #8

Exactly. He just hopes these thoughts blow over flamingdem Jul 2012 #12

Cary

(11,746 posts)

1. My thought here is that if he's going to give us the opportunity to assume the worst about him,

Reply to flamingdem (Original post)

Thu Jul 19, 2012, 12:39 PM

Jul 2012

then we may as well take that opportunity. In fact we should assume he did every terrible thing possible.

So what's the worst case scenario?

flamingdem

(39,313 posts)

2. Good point. He's left himself open to speculation. Even if he didn't do it

Reply to Cary (Reply #1)

Thu Jul 19, 2012, 12:45 PM

Jul 2012

to be on the safe side, it needs to be assumed that he did. If it's repeated
enough it might just emerge as "the truth", really because it probably is!

The Magistrate

(95,248 posts)

9. 'The Opportunity Was There. In My Experience, It's Best To Take That Opportunity. When It's There.'

Reply to Cary (Reply #1)

Thu Jul 19, 2012, 01:23 PM

Jul 2012

Spazito

(50,383 posts)

3. I really do think this is a big part of why Romney won't release his returns...

Reply to flamingdem (Original post)

Thu Jul 19, 2012, 12:51 PM

Jul 2012

and why there is a KEY document missing from what he released from his 2010 return. The missing document relates to his Swiss account, it's known as a Report on Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts.

The political ramifications would be disastrous if, as is being speculated, Romney did apply for the amnesty.

flamingdem

(39,313 posts)

4. Have you heard a justification for why he did not include that report? nt

Reply to Spazito (Reply #3)

Thu Jul 19, 2012, 01:05 PM

Jul 2012

Ruby the Liberal

(26,219 posts)

5. I think that would depend.

Reply to flamingdem (Reply #4)

Thu Jul 19, 2012, 01:12 PM

Jul 2012

If he just turned over schedules without the details, then it would be consistent, but if he just purposely omitted form 8938 while producing other, similar documentation, then it is a huge tell.

Looked it up last night. Information is here: http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=148849,00.html

flamingdem

(39,313 posts)

13. I think there was something about how he closed the account and

Reply to Ruby the Liberal (Reply #5)

Thu Jul 19, 2012, 04:18 PM

Jul 2012

didn't have to include it?

Spazito

(50,383 posts)

6. As of yesterday, it seems not...

Reply to flamingdem (Reply #4)

Thu Jul 19, 2012, 01:16 PM

Jul 2012

"The Romney campaign did not respond to HuffPost's request to view the document."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/18/mitt-romney-taxes-2010_n_1683084.html?utm_hp_ref=elections-2012

alcibiades_mystery

(36,437 posts)

7. Why don't reporters just ask him?

Reply to flamingdem (Original post)

Thu Jul 19, 2012, 01:19 PM

Jul 2012

"Governor Romney, did you participate in the 2009 IRS voluntary disclosure program?"

There's enough smoke here that surely ONE campaign trail reporter can get Romney on record on that particular point. Do these people know how to do their fucking jobs?

swayne

(383 posts)

10. YES, Governor Romney, did you participate in the 2009 IRS voluntary disclosure program?"

Reply to alcibiades_mystery (Reply #7)

Thu Jul 19, 2012, 04:06 PM

Jul 2012

Is the "liberal media" that afraid to ask that simple question?

flamingdem

(39,313 posts)

11. Maybe I'll email Anderson Cooper

Reply to swayne (Reply #10)

Thu Jul 19, 2012, 04:16 PM

Jul 2012

Hey Anderson - can you formulate a hard ball question? We are concerned about the loonies in our country more than those in the Middle East, btw, where you think it's so important to get the "truth".

aint_no_life_nowhere

(21,925 posts)

8. And the earlier non-disclosed money for which he sought tax forgiveness

Reply to flamingdem (Original post)

Thu Jul 19, 2012, 01:20 PM

Jul 2012

was it laundered drug money? Did it come from prostitution? Did he hide it on behalf of it true owners engaged in organized crime. Most people would say that's preposterous but unless he comes completely clean how the fuck can anyone know? If he had suspicious piles of cash hidden over the years in offshore accounts, would the Justice Department automatically open an investigation without clear justification against one of the GOP party leaders considering the fact it may have been the Bush Justice Department at the time under the Bush tax amnesty program? Wasn't there an earlier tax amnesty, too, called the "Homeland Investment Act"? How do we know Romney did this only once?

flamingdem

(39,313 posts)

12. Exactly. He just hopes these thoughts blow over

Reply to aint_no_life_nowhere (Reply #8)

Thu Jul 19, 2012, 04:17 PM

Jul 2012

and with the soft ball media he might win that. Obama and surrogates can hound him but the MSM will paint it as "envy" or being over the line..

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