This is why Donald Trump’s tax returns haven’t been leaked

Donald Trump in Philadelphia on Sept. 7. (Evan Vucci/AP

By Justin Wm. Moyer and Lisa Rein September 21 at 6:00 AM

Donald Trump has maintained for seven months that he cannot release his tax returns because he is being audited by the Internal Revenue Service, making him the first major-party nominee for president since Gerald Ford to withhold such records from the public.

Last week, his son Donald Trump Jr. gave a different excuse for not releasing the documents, saying the returns would be “distracting.”

[Donald Trump Jr. just told everyone the real reason his dad isn’t releasing his tax returns]

With so much speculation surrounding them, the GOP nominee and wealthy businessman’s tax filings may just be the most wanted information of the 2016 campaign.

Trump says that voters “don’t care” about his returns, but journalists, Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton and many voters insist the public wants to see them. New York Times Executive Editor Dean Baquet and Washington Post Associate Editor Bob Woodward said at a Harvard University forum this month that they would love to publish Trump’s returns if someone leaked them, even if it meant serving jail time. Some Americans have wondered whether Trump actually paid any taxes during some years — and whether he is as rich as he says he is.

Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton attacked Republican nominee Donald Trump for not releasing his tax returns during a question-and-answer session on her campaign plane on Sept. 6. (Peter Stevenson/The Washington Post)

Donald Trump's stance on presidential candidates has changed significantly over the years. Here's how. (Peter Stevenson/The Washington Post)

This is why Donald Trump’s tax returns haven’t been leaked.docx by Thavam Ratna on Scribd