Is this man Harry Reid's source?

[Landslide Lyndon]

Kos sees the circumstantial evidence and thinks it's Jon Huntsman Sr.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/09/1118428/-It-s-John-Huntsman-Sr-right-Harry

Harry Reid has a Republican source who has told him that Mitt Romney didn't pay taxes in 10 years. Who could he possibly known that would have that information? Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman's dad sounds like the likely source.

Jon Huntsman Sr, is business partners with Robert C. Gay, who also happened to be Bain's managing director between 1989 and 2004. And if anyone knows the machinations Bain used to evade taxes for itself and its partners, well, it would be the guy in charge of the firm's finances.

Huntsman is also a Republican and a Mormon (like Harry Reid). As governor of next-door Utah, his son (who also served in the Obama administration as ambassador to China) likely developed a close working relationship on regional issues.

Want more? The Huntsman family gave some serious scratch to Reid's reelection campaign:

    Indeed, the Huntsmans have long been Reid supporters, although the former governor, who is scheduled to be be in Nevada on Friday, has never given directly to Reid's Senate campaigns.
 
Sure, the evidence is circumstantial, but still pretty solid, wouldn't you say?

5:13 PM PT: Reid said his source was a Bain investor. Not sure if Huntsman Sr fits the bill just yet, but Bain has certainly invested in Huntsman:

    Huntsman Corp. Friday announced a deal in which venture capital firm Bain Capital Inc. will invest more than $600 million in Huntsman.

5:33 PM PT: Great point, from the comments:

    Remember it was a Huntsman daughter who penned an article at HuffPo with Ryan Grim that had sources saying Romney would have never ran if he knew he had to open up his tax filings. 
Does the Huntsman family talk Romney's taxes around the dinner table?

5:42 PM PT: The blogger Cannonfire came to this conclusion last Sunday, and his reasoning is far more developed than mine.

Now he thinks it's Jr, but his reasoning makes me even more convinced it was one of the Huntsmans. My money is still on Sr.

7:35 PM PT: Oooh, I had forgotten that Huntsman is skipping the GOP convention, certainly pointing to a major rift with his party and nominee.

[Bacon King]

Oh man, this is awesome.

[Lief]

If this is true, it would be the best thing.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

Except it's not true, because Harry Reid does not have a source.

[Lief]

Except it's not true, because Harry Reid does not have a source.

How do you know?

[Senator Napoleon]

Bain investing in Huntsman would not make Huntsman a Bain investor, guys.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

Except it's not true, because Harry Reid does not have a source.

How do you know?

I have a source.

[Invisible Obama]

Huntsman's daughter wrote that column and stated that Romney would rather drop out of the race than release his tax returns. Romney and Huntsman probably dislike each other more than any of the candidates than the GOP. It would fit if it was Huntsman Sr.

[Senator Kalwejt]

Except it's not true, because Harry Reid does not have a source.

How do you know?

I have a source.

Oh right, everyone could say that

[milhouse24]

Bain investing in Huntsman would not make Huntsman a Bain investor, guys.

Bain does not invest in Huntsman personally, they invest in Huntsman's company.

Huntsman as a wealthy individual with various personal investment accounts, retirement accounts, and a diversified portfolio would be a surefire investor in any venture capital funds managed by his close personal Bain friend.  Wealthy individuals have diversified investments that are spread into many industries and mutual funds.  VC partners solicit wealthy individuals whenever they are raising new funds for seed investments.  Bain is a Venture Capital investment firm that spreads investments in widespread corporations.  Bain would aggressively court any wealthy individuals with the excess money to fill up their new Funds for investment. 

It seems Huntsman Jr is still a moderate hero on Team Obama.  Being a fellow mormon, Jon would have access to far more Oppo Research on Romney than any other republican.  Its a little sickening for Huntsman Jr to backstab the GOP candidate, but perhaps he thinks if Romney loses, then Jon Jr will be a safe frontrunner for 2016.  Or the gop voters will hate his guts.

I'm not sure many Americans are upset about Tax Avoidance.  Most Americans try to minimize their tax payments and would surely choose Romney's tax avoidance schemes if it applied to an average Americans income.  Most Americans aren't enthusiastic about paying more than they owe to the IRS. 

[afleitch]

Most Americans try to minimize their tax payments and would surely choose Romney's tax avoidance schemes if it applied to an average Americans income.

That's the funniest thing I've read on here in years.

[mondale84]

Bain investing in Huntsman would not make Huntsman a Bain investor, guys.

Bain does not invest in Huntsman personally, they invest in Huntsman's company.

Huntsman as a wealthy individual with various personal investment accounts, retirement accounts, and a diversified portfolio would be a surefire investor in any venture capital funds managed by his close personal Bain friend.  Wealthy individuals have diversified investments that are spread into many industries and mutual funds.  VC partners solicit wealthy individuals whenever they are raising new funds for seed investments.  Bain is a Venture Capital investment firm that spreads investments in widespread corporations.  Bain would aggressively court any wealthy individuals with the excess money to fill up their new Funds for investment. 

It seems Huntsman Jr is still a moderate hero on Team Obama.  Being a fellow mormon, Jon would have access to far more Oppo Research on Romney than any other republican.  Its a little sickening for Huntsman Jr to backstab the GOP candidate, but perhaps he thinks if Romney loses, then Jon Jr will be a safe frontrunner for 2016.  Or the gop voters will hate his guts.

I'm not sure many Americans are upset about Tax Avoidance.  Most Americans try to minimize their tax payments and would surely choose Romney's tax avoidance schemes if it applied to an average Americans income.  Most Americans aren't enthusiastic about paying more than they owe to the IRS. 

Tax avoidance allows people to pay less than they owe...

[milhouse24]

If the IRS is not going after Romney for tax issues, then there is no reason why the public should be concerned about his tax issues.  Reid is just fishing for something that may look illegal and controversial, but is actually perfectly legal. 

[mondale84]

If the IRS is not going after Romney for tax issues, then there is no reason why the public should be concerned about his tax issues.  Reid is just fishing for something that may look illegal and controversial, but is actually perfectly legal. 

It may be legal (though only strictly speaking since he is taking advantage of legal loopholes), but it is also controversial.

Also, we have no proof that Romney didn't do anything illegal...

[You kip if you want to...]

Huntsman is incredible. 2016!

[stegosaurus]

If the IRS is not going after Romney for tax issues, then there is no reason why the public should be concerned about his tax issues.  Reid is just fishing for something that may look illegal and controversial, but is actually perfectly legal. 

It may be legal (though only strictly speaking since he is taking advantage of legal loopholes), but it is also controversial.

Also, we have no proof that Romney didn't do anything illegal...

The burden of proof is on the accusers, not the accused. "Innocent until proven guilty" and all that other far right nonsense.

[Comrade Funk]

I'd get a good laugh.

[Harry]

If the IRS is not going after Romney for tax issues, then there is no reason why the public should be concerned about his tax issues.  Reid is just fishing for something that may look illegal and controversial, but is actually perfectly legal. 

It may be legal (though only strictly speaking since he is taking advantage of legal loopholes), but it is also controversial.

Also, we have no proof that Romney didn't do anything illegal...

The burden of proof is on the accusers, not the accused. "Innocent until proven guilty" and all that other far right nonsense.

Not really, since releasing tax returns has been standard procedure for 50+ years.  Romney is bucking that standard procedure, so it's logical to assume he's hiding something.

If releasing tax returns was something people made up just for Romney (like Obama and the birth certificate), you would have a point.

[milhouse24]

If the IRS is not going after Romney for tax issues, then there is no reason why the public should be concerned about his tax issues.  Reid is just fishing for something that may look illegal and controversial, but is actually perfectly legal. 

It may be legal (though only strictly speaking since he is taking advantage of legal loopholes), but it is also controversial.

Also, we have no proof that Romney didn't do anything illegal...

Yeah, I agree, we have no proof that Romney did anything illegal.
Unless the IRS says he is hiding something, and filing incorrect tax returns, then why would the average Liberal assume Romney is doing something illegal. 

Are you saying Obama is not an American Born Citizen because you have never touched his birth certificate? 

Liberals don't seem to understand that the IRS has a very specific job to do, and so far Mitt Romney has never personally been in trouble with the IRS. 

Liberals apparently can't tell the difference between salary income and investment income.  No wonder liberals hate Wall Street, they don't believe that risky investments should be legal.  Romney's source of yearly income is based off of his investment portfolio and subsequent loss deductions.  The tax code is just way too difficult for liberals to understand, maybe liberals need to take some accounting classes.

Mitt Romney is just too rich to be president, lol. 

[Politico]

My source indicates that Reid's source is located in Reid's imagination.

Can somebody inform the world how a man of modest means like Reid is able to live in the Ritz Carlton year-round?

[Politico]

Mitt Romney is just too rich to be president, lol.  [poor relative to John Kennedy, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson]

Fixed.

Great post, Milhouse.

[Comrade Shmoo]

If the IRS is not going after Romney for tax issues, then there is no reason why the public should be concerned about his tax issues.  Reid is just fishing for something that may look illegal and controversial, but is actually perfectly legal. 

It may be legal (though only strictly speaking since he is taking advantage of legal loopholes), but it is also controversial.

Also, we have no proof that Romney didn't do anything illegal...

The burden of proof is on the accusers, not the accused. "Innocent until proven guilty" and all that other far right nonsense.

The proof is locked in a box somewhere. We need facts to get anywhere.

[Politico]

If the IRS is not going after Romney for tax issues, then there is no reason why the public should be concerned about his tax issues.  Reid is just fishing for something that may look illegal and controversial, but is actually perfectly legal. 

It may be legal (though only strictly speaking since he is taking advantage of legal loopholes), but it is also controversial.

Also, we have no proof that Romney didn't do anything illegal...

The burden of proof is on the accusers, not the accused. "Innocent until proven guilty" and all that other far right nonsense.

The proof is locked in a box somewhere. We need facts to get anywhere.

Harry Reid lives in the Ritz Carlton. How is he able to afford that?

[LINCOLN REPUBLICAN]

Harry Reid lives in the Ritz Carlton. How is he able to afford that?

Kickbacks.

[mondale84]

I never see Mitt campaigning with his kids. I think they're scared of him because he eats babies. At least that's what I've heard. I have my sources who tell me he eats babies and they have to be babies from families who make less than $30,000 gross-family income.