Render: Trump crucified for following law

The New York Times recently received copies of Donald Trump’s 1995 tax documents that revealed “$915 (million in) losses that allowed him to legally avoid paying taxes.”

The phrase, legally avoid paying taxes, implies some kind of wrong doing.

Rube Render

Further, they note, “The real estate tycoon’s camp refused to confirm or deny the report, but said the filing was “illegally obtained.”

Of course it was illegally obtained. Tax returns are protected.

The story continues with the caveat that while there is no evidence that Trump did anything improper, it will not detract the Times from pointing out that this revelation is potentially damaging.

Contrast the above story with this one: The Times itself “avoided” paying taxes for tax year 2014.

Forbes reported that, “The New York Times paid no taxes and got an income tax refund of $3.5 million even though they had a pre-tax profit of $29.9 million in 2014. In other words, their post-tax profit was higher than their pre-tax profit.”

Both organizations had business deductions, but news coverage suggests that Trump acted in a nefarious manner while the Times used sound business sense.

The Clinton campaign was all over the Trump story, but evidently overlooked what happened to the Times. The Clintons do not understand the concept of a business loss because they have never operated a business. None of their more than $100 million wealth was ever generated from a business. All of their income has been generated as a result of questionable ventures.

They begin with Hillary’s $100,000 gain in the cattle futures market, through their million-dollar advances for book deals; they include the exorbitant bribes disguised as speech fees, and they’re capped with the Clinton Foundation’s donations for influence schemes.

When Hillary loses the election, all their sources of income will evaporate.

Particularly nauseating in the rush to denounce Trump for nothing other than complying with the tax laws enacted by Congress are the coifed and blow-dried news readers on television. All of these overpaid, pompous supposed news people utilize tax accountants and lawyers to do exactly what they condemn Trump for.

Thanks to media coverage, I am forced to agree with cartoonist Scott Adams of Dilbert fame who noted that, “Our next president will either be an offensive, rich, divisive, bigot with a bad haircut or Donald Trump.”

Rube Render is the Curry County Republican chairman. Contact him at:

[email protected]