Rep. Don Beyer: Donald Trump is a liar and a cheat.

[Nevilledog]

Link to tweet

Tweet text:Rep. Don Beyer
@RepDonBeyer
Donald Trump is a liar and a cheat.

He paid less in personal income taxes – just $750 some years, $0 in others – than most working Americans, all while living the lavish lifestyle of a billionaire.

But this story is very important beyond those headline details. Here’s why. 1/

The New York Times
@nytimes
Exclusive: The Times has obtained tax-return data for President Trump extending over more than two decades.
It shows his finances under stress, beset by losses that he aggressively employs to avoid paying taxes and hundreds of millions in debt coming due. https://nyti.ms/308oHAj
5:20 AM · Sep 28, 2020

Unrolled thread here
https://threader.app/thread/1310554895188135936

Donald Trump is a liar and a cheat. He paid less in personal income taxes – just $750 some years, $0 in others – than most working Americans, all while living the lavish lifestyle of a billionaire.But this story is very important beyond those headline details. Here’s why. 1/

It isn’t just that Trump pays a tiny tax burden and writes off dubious luxury expenses to live like a robber baron. His signature legislation with Republicans in Congress was making the tax code even friendlier to the ultra-rich.They rigged the system to be *less* fair.2/

Yes, Donald Trump is a freeloader who has no idea what the struggles of working people are like, but he is also making things worse for them.There are people near the poverty line in this country paying more taxes than Trump — and he is trying to take their health care away. 3/

People across this country are hurting badly as the economy bleeds jobs and millions face eviction, food insecurity, or the loss of health coverage.Tax dodger Trump is keeping them from getting economic assistance because his negotiators think that aid might be too generous. 4/

And this is a corruption story. Increasingly financially dependent on his brand, Donald Trump has grossly abused the power of his office to promote his personally-branded businesses and pour taxpayer funds into his own pockets.5/

In need of money, Trump has rolled back regulations on corporations who bankrolled his campaign.And he gave unprecedented direct influence over policy to people who paid him, including Mar-A-Lago members who got enormous influence over the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. 6/

Trump’s debts make this a national security story.Whom does Donald Trump owe money too? What has he done or might he be doing now using his powers to help them, or to acquire money to pay them back?Donald Trump purposefully hid this information from the American people.7/

As his properties and investments overseas lost money, Trump turned to foreign investors and governments for cash.These unconstitutional emoluments are a huge problem. The President is supposed to put the country first, but Trump conducts foreign policy to benefit himself. 8/

Many of my constituents have to undergo long, arduous processes to obtain a security clearance for work.With his debts, his foreign dealings, and the massive leverage others hold over him, Trump could not get a security clearance if he sought it as a private citizen.9/

While we are on the topic of security clearances, Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump should not have them.This story makes it clearer than ever that neither of them should have been allowed to hold a position of influence at the White House. 10/

Trump responded to this reporting by whining that the IRS treats him badly, an absurd lie.In fact, the IRS refused to comply with our @WaysMeansCmte subpoena and withheld his tax returns despite the clear language of the law that they “shall be furnished” upon our request. 11/

The New York Times’ story is a damning indictment of Donald Trump’s character, but its details are also a damning indictment of his presidency.If it is untrue, Trump could prove all of this false whenever he wants, very easily. So why doesn’t he release his tax returns?12/12

[Tanuki]

1. K and R

[RainCaster]

2. He's a Dem, we expect that. Let us know when you see this from the GOP

That would be the Real News.