Why McCaskill's Husband's Taxes Are Relevant

More of our post-debate banter between the two U.S. Senate candidates . . .

This time the issue is Claire McCaskill and her family's tax returns. The Kansas City Star covers the issue well HERE.

One reporter wanted to know: Why are your husband's finances off-limits?

McCaskill: There's a book of information that's been filed, according to the law, as it should be, outlining all the interests of my husband. But to try to make his complex holdings nefarious and evil just because they are complex and to try to intimate there's something wrong with what he has done is just dirty politics. My husband has done nothing wrong. There's been no allegation of that. He has not violated any law. He has done nothing to deserve this kind of innuendo, that somehow he is doing something that's inappropriate and it's not fun when someone is trying to make it about your family . . . It's certainly no fun to be called a liar and a cheat.

Question: But why not just release his returns?

McCaskill: We were only married 4 years ago. We've always filed separately. Our finances are separate and I've always released my tax returns and I believe frankly, the public gets much more information out of the disclosure form that was filed. It goes through all of his businesses, all of the holdings, everything that he owns in great detail. What the public needs to know is where interests are held so there is no conflict when you are in the Senate. There is not a requirement that tax returns be released and my husband has chosen not to release his out of privacy and I respect that.

Question to Sen. Talent: Claire McCaskill says you raising the issue of her personal finances is just an attack on her family.

Talent: I haven't attacked anybody. I've pointed out aspects of the record. I will say, she went around Missouri telling everyone I was a false patriot, and she specifically stood by that when she was asked. I don't know what kind of position she is in to complain about this, but I point at a part of her record, and that's very relevant. This is a candidate who wants to raise taxes on the American people. And look, there's a lot of aspects on their finances . . . They do an offshore tax shelter in Bermuda, they do on a limited liability company. It is a device that is often used to avoid taxes so I just stated what was in the record. I didn't say anything about her in particular. I think at some point she needs to answer, the best way would be to release her tax returns. As you know, when she ran for Governor, she said, what's his is mine, what's mine is his. He basically financed her Governor campaign. And she is living off his income. Where a Senator gets the income they live on is obviously relevant.