It is a long-standing custom for presidential candidates to release their tax returns, a tradition that Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton on Friday obliged.
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While he avoided reporters’ questions Saturday as to whether he would release his returns, the New York Times reports that the Indiana Governor hinted they could still be published during an interview with Rita Cosby of WABC Radio. But he wasn’t definitive in an interview with WABC in NY and the campaign didn’t return calls requesting more information.
Donald Trump’s presidential campaign is taking even sharper aim at one of its biggest foes: the news media.
Addressing supporters in Manchester, N.H., Saturday, Kaine dedicated much of his message to drawing sharp contrasts between his running mate, Hillary Clinton, and Republican rival Donald Trump.
But Trump set up that address with extensive new complaints about the latest disastrous week of coverage and reports of campaign chaos. Trump has banned several media outlets from covering his events, including The Washington Post, Buzzfeed and The Huffington Post.
Dominating news last week were Trump’s remark that Second Amendment backers could “do something” if Hillary Clinton is elected president and appoints liberal judges. That tweet was followed by: “My rallies are not covered properly by the media”.
“If the disgusting and corrupt media covered me honestly and didn’t put false meaning into the words I say, I would be beating Hillary by 20 percent”, he tweeted Sunday. “I’m so glad they kept that dress, so glad they kept that dress, because it shows what the hell they are”. Signs were popping up across the political landscape.
Frustratingly for Republicans, Mr Trump’s missteps have overshadowed hard news for Mrs Clinton: the new release of 44 previously-unreleased email exchanges she had while at the State Department. Meanwhile, GOP leaders in Washington and in the most competitive states have begun openly contemplating turning their backs on their party’s presidential nominee and putting their money and effort instead behind the party’s House and Senate candidates. Giacomo Brancato, whose wish is was to meet Mr. Trump, took the microphone and asked the crowd to vote for Trump, pleading with them to “make America great again”. “I am who I am”, he tweeted.
Trump’s allies said Sunday they’re confident that this time, the billionaire developer will stay on track.
But the Clinton campaign is continuing to ramp up the pressure.
Pence also brushed off a recent letter from the nation’s top national security experts, all Republicans, who say Trump can’t be trusted as president.
“You could have covered what he was saying, or you could try and take an aside and take the Clinton narrative and play it out”. Trump’s sojourn into CT raised eyebrows among many Republicans nervous about his slipping poll numbers in a series of key swing states and battlegrounds – and even some usual GOP turf. The newspaper says Manafort’s lawyer denied his client received any such payments.
After playing that clip, Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace asked Pence: “Are you the cleanup crew?”
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He suggested the public would eventually also see Trump’s tax returns, which he’s declined to release, citing an ongoing audit, although the IRS has said there is nothing preventing the GOP nominee from publicizing the returns if he chooses. Any country that wants to work with the U.S.to defeat “radical Islamic terrorism” will be a USA ally, he is expected to say.
