Journalists have been demanding President Donald Trump’s tax returns since his presidential campaign started.
Last week, Trump’s 2005 tax returns were leaked and obtained by MSNBC where they were published on the Rachel Maddow Show. The document showed that Trump paid around 35 million dollars in tax returns on a $150 million income.
Maddow credited David Cay Johnston, a journalist with the Daily Beast, for obtaining the tax returns, which Johnston said showed up in his mailbox anonymously.
Trump was the first presidential candidate since pre-Watergate to not release his tax returns to the public. Trump has stated that he undergoing an audit and he will not release them until the audit is completed.
The White House issued a statement before the Rachel Maddow Show aired.
“You know you are desperate for ratings when you are willing to violate the law to push a story about two pages of tax returns from over a decade ago. The dishonest media can continue to make this part of their agenda, while the President will focus on his, which includes tax reform that will benefit all Americans.”
Media outlets began to speculate on Wednesday that Trump himself was behind the leak of his tax documents, citing Trump’s need for distraction from the healthcare bill he recently revealed.
Boston Globe reporter James Pindell said, “But as it happened, Trump’s taxes led all the morning shows and newspapers — not health care and not Russia. If anything, the tax story buys Trump time to figure out the next steps on health care.”
Johnston, who obtained the documents originally, also speculated the Trump could have leaked the tax returns to him.
“It’s entirely possible that Donald sent this to me,” Johnston said on Maddow’s show. “Donald Trump has over the years leaked all sorts of things. … Donald has a long history of leaking material about himself when he thinks it’s in his interest.”
MSNBC host Joe Scarborough speculated on Twitter that the “Trump camp” was behind the leaks.
“This one tax return is not bad for him because he cherry picked one return from over a decade ago and had it leaked to the press,” Scarborough wrote.
His tweet drew outrage from Trump’s personal attorney, Michael Cohen, who tweeted back at Scarborough.
“I know who has his taxes. You better have proof to back up your claim and big mouth!”
Some criticized Maddow for making it seem like she had a big scoop on Trump’s tax returns and then only revealed two pages.
Former Governor Mike Huckabee tweeted “Rachel Maddow tonight reveals Amelia Earhart & Jimmy Hoffa are found; they married and had a child–Snoop Dog, who paid no taxes ever!”
Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., also criticized Maddow’s show on Twitter.
“Thank you Rachel Maddow for proving to your #Trump hating followers how successful @realDonaldTrump is & that he paid $40mm in taxes! #Taxes.”
Washington Post reporter Margaret Sullivan accused Maddow of “burying the lede.”
Maddow responded to the criticism by issuing a statement to the Associated Press.
“Because I have information about the president doesn’t mean that it’s necessarily a scandal. It doesn’t mean that it’s damning information. If other people leapt to that conclusion without me indicating that it was, that hype is external to what we did,” she said.
Her show attracted 4.13 million viewers – the largest audience it has ever had.
A march was scheduled on April 15 to pressure Trump to release his more current tax returns. On Friday, 11 new groups joined the planned protest including Common Cause, CREDO, Daily Kos, the Economic Policy Institute and Public Citizen.
Trump’s upcoming week features a vote on the GOP healthcare plan on Thursday and entertaining the visiting German chancellor, Angela Merkel.
Laina Yost
Managing Editor