New York Times editor knowingly risked federal prosecution for releasing Trump's 95 tax returns - Polidicks

[quote]Dean Baquet wasn't bluffing. The New York Times executive editor said during a visit to Harvard in September that he would risk jail to publish Donald Trump's tax returns. He made good on his word Saturday night when the Times published Trump tax documents from 1995, which show the Republican presidential nominee claimed losses of $916 million that year — enough to avoid paying federal income taxes for as many as 18 years. Federal law makes it illegal to publish an unauthorized tax return or "return information": [quote]It shall be unlawful for any person to whom any return or return information (as defined in section 6103(b)) is disclosed in a manner unauthorized by this title thereafter willfully to print or publish in any manner not provided by law any such return or return information. Any violation of this paragraph shall be a felony punishable by a fine in any amount not exceeding $5,000, or imprisonment of not more than 5 years, or both, together with the costs of prosecution.[/quote][/quote] [url]https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/10/02/the-new-york-times-risked-legal-trouble-to-publish-donald-trumps-tax-return/?tid=sm_fb[/url]

I hope this isnt the end of the and a good October Surprise is in order.

It sounds like the charges could be laid on the newspaper itself, not just the dude, am I right?

That's dedicated journalism. Risking yourself to publish the truth.

I mean, I don't understand why you would risk your freedom and potential criminal charges for yourself and your company over something that was not even illegal, immoral, or frowned upon in the real estate world. Yeah it can maybe damage his campaign for a few days but, at the end of the day, it will not matter in the polls enough to make a difference. I get people want "truth", but this is just dumb. If they would have released something saying he was in fact breaking the law, then yeah, this was totally worth it. Then again, he should have released them months ago. Like waiting this long is just idiotic. Did they not take note from the 2012 campaign at all? I swear Trump's staff really find ways to drop the ball time and time again and so does he for that matter. Its just a wild circus act at this point.

[QUOTE=King of Limbs;51151949]I mean, I don't understand why you would risk your freedom and potential criminal charges for yourself and your company over something that was not even illegal, immoral, or frowned upon in the real estate world. Yeah it can maybe damage his campaign for a few days but, at the end of the day, it will not matter in the polls enough to make a difference. I get people want "truth", but this is just dumb. If they would have released something saying he was in fact breaking the law, then yeah, this was totally worth it. Then again, he should have released them months ago. Like waiting this long is just idiotic. Did they not take note from the 2012 campaign at all? I swear Trump's staff really find ways to drop the ball time and time again and so does he for that matter. Its just a wild circus act at this point.[/QUOTE] apparently doing a borderline heroic act in the name of transparency is dumb.

[QUOTE=King of Limbs;51151949]I mean, I don't understand why you would risk your freedom and potential criminal charges for yourself and your company over something that was not even illegal, immoral, or frowned upon in the real estate world. Yeah it can maybe damage his campaign for a few days but, at the end of the day, it will not matter in the polls enough to make a difference. I get people want "truth", but this is just dumb. If they would have released something saying he was in fact breaking the law, then yeah, this was totally worth it. Then again, he should have released them months ago. Like waiting this long is just idiotic. Did they not take note from the 2012 campaign at all? I swear Trump's staff really find ways to drop the ball time and time again and so does he for that matter. Its just a wild circus act at this point.[/QUOTE] The fact that you can dodge taxes legally using loopholes in the American tax system just shows it is in dire need of major reform, which is why I take a large issue with anyone defending Trump or anyone else doing similar things.

[QUOTE=Cructo;51151993]Bill Clinton was the one who signed the law that allowed this particular move by Trump in 95. Trump actually wants to crack down on tax loopholes[/QUOTE] so that makes it OK for him to be using loopholes for like 20 years!

[QUOTE=Roger Waters;51151958]apparently doing a borderline heroic act in the name of transparency is dumb.[/QUOTE] I don't get the truth part here. There is nothing wrong with what he did. Literally nothing. The tax code is there to be used in these exact situations so that if you do incur a huge loss you can get tax relief from federal taxes until you can recoup your loses. At that point, you are required to pay taxes again. This happens all the time in the Real Estate world. He still paid other taxes and no one is saying other wise. So why potentially break the law to literally show he legally did the right thing? On a personal note: I do not think that tax code should allow this, or if it does, not to this extent. I feel the whole Tax Code needs to be re-written. This may have helped get the conversation started about it but there were legal ways to do so that could have been more effective. All in all, just saying, I don't feel like it was worth it to release this as its basically a non-story when relating to Trump. To the tax code yes, to Trump, probably not. ALSO PS: Both candidates released their Tax Reform policies and NEITHER one of them said they would fix this "loophole". Just something to think about.

[QUOTE=Cructo;51151993] Trump actually wants to crack down on tax loopholes[/QUOTE] Yeah, for about as long as it takes for someone to ask him about it again, and his Random Policy Generator lands on "loopholes = good" this time.

[QUOTE=Cructo;51152036]He used a law to recover from a loss. He's so evil![/QUOTE] Do you really expect someone who used this law to repel it? I mean, he's looking for [I]even more[/I] tax cuts for the rich. If anything he's going to make it worse. Like seriously, stop defending him over this. In any other country in the world there would be blue murder over this, but apparently because it's the States it's OK.

[QUOTE=BlackMageMari;51152055]Do you really expect someone who used this law to repel it? I mean, he's looking for [I]even more[/I] tax cuts for the rich. If anything he's going to make it worse. Like seriously, stop defending him over this. In any other country in the world there would be blue murder over this, but apparently because it's the States it's OK.[/QUOTE] you see, when the poor get handouts, they're disgusting leeches when trump gets handouts, he's a genius mastermind

[QUOTE=Cructo;51151993]Bill Clinton was the one who signed the law that allowed this particular move by Trump in 95. Trump actually wants to crack down on tax loopholes[/QUOTE] Why would you trust he wants to do that when he's a compulsive liar?

[QUOTE=Mining Bill;51151281]It sounds like the charges could be laid on the newspaper itself, not just the dude, am I right?[/QUOTE] Vicarious liability doesn't extend to criminal charges. It's not like you can put a corporation in jail. But I guess Trump could sue both.

[QUOTE=King of Limbs;51152017]I don't get the truth part here. There is nothing wrong with what he did. Literally nothing. The tax code is there to be used in these exact situations so that if you do incur a huge loss you can get tax relief from federal taxes until you can recoup your loses. At that point, you are required to pay taxes again. This happens all the time in the Real Estate world. He still paid other taxes and no one is saying other wise. So why potentially break the law to literally show he legally did the right thing? On a personal note: I do not think that tax code should allow this, or if it does, not to this extent. I feel the whole Tax Code needs to be re-written. This may have helped get the conversation started about it but there were legal ways to do so that could have been more effective. All in all, just saying, I don't feel like it was worth it to release this as its basically a non-story when relating to Trump. To the tax code yes, to Trump, probably not. ALSO PS: Both candidates released their Tax Reform policies and NEITHER one of them said they would fix this "loophole". Just something to think about.[/QUOTE] he never said truth, just transparency the guy said he'd risk jail to publish trump's records, whether they had something bad in them or not

[QUOTE=Mining Bill;51151281]It sounds like the charges could be laid on the newspaper itself, not just the dude, am I right?[/QUOTE] at the end of the day, the NYT has more lawyers than trump could ever bring

AFAIK his real estate didn't depreciate in value by that much, he only has to say it did. Pay the taxes 18 years later after making bank of it, and not have to account for inflation.

[QUOTE=King of Limbs;51151949]I mean, I don't understand why you would risk your freedom and potential criminal charges for yourself and your company over something that was not even illegal, immoral, or frowned upon in the real estate world. Yeah it can maybe damage his campaign for a few days but, at the end of the day, it will not matter in the polls enough to make a difference. I get people want "truth", but this is just dumb. If they would have released something saying he was in fact breaking the law, then yeah, this was totally worth it. Then again, he should have released them months ago. Like waiting this long is just idiotic. Did they not take note from the 2012 campaign at all? I swear Trump's staff really find ways to drop the ball time and time again and so does he for that matter. Its just a wild circus act at this point.[/QUOTE] It's total altruism, something that you and I (and most people) are not capable of.

[QUOTE=Cructo;51152036]He used a law to recover from a loss. He's so evil![/QUOTE] He is 156 in forbes 400 and hasn't been contributing to his country's tax for ~2 decades, yet thinks he deserves to be president.

[QUOTE=Cructo;51152036]He used a law to recover from a loss. He's so evil![/QUOTE] I don't think people are saying that trump did anything illegal or necessarily immoral, but they're pointing out the hypocrisy of trump always ranting about people not paying their taxes whilst doing the same in secret

[QUOTE=Cructo;51151993]Bill Clinton was the one who signed the law that allowed this particular move by Trump in 95. Trump actually wants to crack down on tax loopholes[/QUOTE] Electing Trump to close tax loopholes is like hiring a pedophile to protect playgrounds from other pedophiles.

[QUOTE=Cructo;51152710]He said before that he tries to pay as little tax as he can. And it's not as if he's paying 0 in taxes, the $916 million in loss allowed him to not pay [I]income[/I] tax for some time, possibly for 18 years but the exact period is something we will only confirm when he releases his taxes[/QUOTE] Can I be allowed to not pay some of my taxes too? I just don't feel like paying them, so I won't pay, that's fine right? [QUOTE]possibly for 18 years but the exact period is something we will only confirm when he releases his taxes[/QUOTE] Good thing he's said he's not going to release his taxes then. I'll also say what I said in a previous thread. [QUOTE=Zyler;51144854]Hey guys, I have a great idea. Let's elect a serial killer to be the chief of police, that'd do a great job because they'd know exactly how to prevent serial killers from murdering people since they are one and they know how they think. This is a great idea, no problems with it whatsoever. Let's hire shop lifters as mall cops while we're at it.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Cructo;51152793]I'm going to guess you didn't bother reading on how he managed to not pay these taxes.[/QUOTE] Instead of passive aggressively sniping at people, why don't you make an argument and enlighten me? Believe it or not, if you actually talk to people and explain your viewpoint, they might agree with you.

[QUOTE=Cructo;51152793]I'm going to guess you didn't bother reading on how he managed to not pay these taxes.[/QUOTE] It honestly doesn't matter Him manipulating the tax code for his own benefit doesn't make him fit to be president

[QUOTE=Roger Waters;51152010]so that makes it OK for him to be using loopholes for like 20 years![/QUOTE] Not to be that guy, but if I could use legal loopholes to get out of paying taxes I prolly would too...just being honest.

[QUOTE=MR-X;51152808]Not to be that guy, but if I could use legal loopholes to get out of paying taxes I prolly would too...just being honest.[/QUOTE] It's not the tax dodging by itself that's the issue, it's the hypocrisy in Trump calling out his opponents for living in big mansions and not paying taxes when he doesn't do it himself. If Hillary Clinton or Benie Sanders was caught tax dodging, they'd be eviscerated by Trump supporters. Would anyone deny this? I have no problem with anyone supporting any candidate for any reason, but there needs to be an actual reason that's logical consistent. When someone says they support a candidate simply because the other candidate is a liar and an accused criminal who has corporate interests and their own candidate is also a liar and an accused criminal with corporate interests, I have to assume that they're either hypocrites or they're being disingenuous and the real reason behind their beliefs is simply bias or prejudice. Especially when they have no way of arguing except to cherry pick whatever suits their narrative, ignore arguments they don't like and passive aggressively snipe at people without actually arguing their point. I put it to anyone to prove me wrong. Make an actual argument to convince me and explain yourself without proving my point.

[QUOTE=Cructo;51152828]As I'm not an expert on the US tax legislation or an accountant, I'll just leave [URL="https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2016-10-03/trump-s-1995-return-shows-good-tax-policy-at-work"]this article[/URL] which does a pretty good job at explaining, regardless of what you may think of the source[/QUOTE] Explain it in your own words instead of linking a source to me. Surely you must at least have a cursory understanding in something you believe so strongly. If not, then how can I trust that you aren't being disingenuous? Why is it ethical for Trump to dodge taxes and how does that not make him a hypocrite for accusing his opponents of dodging taxes? I want to understand why YOU, specifically, believe what you do. Otherwise you'll be able to just keep dodging the question when/if I deconstruct this source and you throw up a new one, ad infinitum.

Depends on your definition of "Dodge" I guess, Trump was just using the tax code [b]as it's intended[/b] to not pay unnecessary taxes due to significant losses from previous years. The tax code, as written, allows this, it's standard, intending to allow a company/individual to survive a bad year or period of business. If you take issue with this then the problem is with the tax code itself, not trump. And he's certainly not the only one doing it.

[QUOTE=Cructo;51152828]As I'm not an expert on the US tax legislation or an accountant, I'll just leave [URL="https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2016-10-03/trump-s-1995-return-shows-good-tax-policy-at-work"]this article[/URL] which does a pretty good job at explaining, regardless of what you may think of the source[/QUOTE] A billionaire skips out on taxes for 2 decades and they call it good tax policy. I bet they also condemn welfare queens who do the same. Avoiding taxes is only a bad thing if the poor do it.

If people are regularly avoiding taxes in the tunes of billions of dollars, legally, then surely that's an issue with the tax code is it not? I don't understand why people would be surprised that people would avoid losing money if they had the option not too.