No Disclosure for You

I missed the fact that a couple of days ago Cindy McCain reiterated that there would be no disclosure whatsoever of her tax returns, the very same returns on which all of her husband's wealth has been stashed as well in order to avoid disclosure. Personally, I'm happy with that outcome. Normally, you want to know about the finances of your would-be presidents. But John McCain has such a sterling reputation as a reformer, that I'm sure they're hiding all this not because they have anything to hide, but purely out of a principled concern for the privacy of their children.

Certainly, I see no reason for the press to keep dogging the McCains about this.

Comments

I'm sure the media will oblige you.

Posted by Tom | May 9, 2008 3:03 PM

Matt -- what is your evidence that John "stashed" his "wealth" on Cindy's tax returns? My understanding is that Cindy inherited considerable wealth, which has always been kept her separate property (either through a pre-nup or the operation of AZ marital property law). John, on the other hand, has never had his own substantial "wealth."

It's certainly true that John has lived a luxurious lifestyle made possible by Cindy's wealth, and that may well justify demands for release of her financial information in this campaign. But that's very different from saying that John "stashed" his own funds to hide them from scrutiny, which is what you imply.

Posted by Anon T | May 9, 2008 3:07 PM

Matt -- what is your evidence that John "stashed" his "wealth" on Cindy's tax returns? My understanding is that Cindy inherited considerable wealth, which has always been kept her separate property (either through a pre-nup or the operation of AZ marital property law). John, on the other hand, has never had his own substantial "wealth."

It's certainly true that John has lived a luxurious lifestyle made possible by Cindy's wealth, and that may well justify demands for release of her financial information in this campaign. But that's very different from saying that John "stashed" his own funds to hide them from scrutiny, which is what you imply.

Posted by Anon T | May 9, 2008 3:10 PM

I posted a link on your site the other day. Matt, can you say scooped?

I guess in all honesty, do you think this will affect St. McCain in the general? I don't.

Posted by freddiemac | May 9, 2008 3:14 PM

Why are tax returns such a big deal?

Posted by P | May 9, 2008 3:17 PM

Why are tax returns such a big deal? Well, if we had a smart electorate, tax returns would be a big deal because when John McCain pushes new tax cuts for the extremely wealthy, he benefits from those and thus has a bit of a conflict of interest.
In real life, most Americans don't care because they think Cindy McCain makes about as much as they do and that she has just the best hair imaginable. Unlike Michelle Obama, who is an unpatriotic ho.

Posted by Big Pimpin | May 9, 2008 3:22 PM

I seem to remember an inquiry of sorts into the finances of a recent first lady. It was called White something. Nothing ever came of it but it seemed to go on for a considerable time. But, I agree with you, Republicans should not be subjected to the same level of scrutiny as Democrats. Because of values I think.

Posted by Thomas Tobiason | May 9, 2008 3:25 PM

Nitpicker had the definitive post on the issue earlier in the week. Well, definitive in the sense that we can surely count on wingnut media to studiously ignore the issue.

http://nitpicker.blogspot.com/2008/05/right-wing-magazines-attack-cindy.html

Posted by pinson | May 9, 2008 3:25 PM

The tax return issue in and of itself might not generate any backlash, but if Cindy McCain keeps giving interviews like that, it will. She is super super creepy. She has a sort of Marie Antoinette quality.

Posted by Toady | May 9, 2008 3:26 PM

Unlike Michelle Obama, who is an unpatriotic ho.

Plus she can be quite sassy sometimes. And outspoken. And black. Did I mention she's black. Also her husband is black. Blackity black black.

/hillary

Posted by drjimcooper | May 9, 2008 3:28 PM

Haranguing Cindy to release them is good politics. Let her eye-shadow and mascara discolor her. Let her lamprey hubby get all red in the face. You take what you get and you run with it. In austere times, this is a winner.

Posted by Trevor | May 9, 2008 3:28 PM

I don't think she kicked her drug habit. Living with a basket case like McCain, that household must be a carnival of pyschological problems.

Posted by McCain the Collaborator | May 9, 2008 3:30 PM

Why would you think they were hiding somethig? Just because Cindy McCain was involved in the Keating 5 scandal--she was in business with Keating--and McCain tried to hide that?

It would be just plain silly, based on his record, to wonder how many of the other people that McCain has done special favors for since Keating were also in business with Cindy.

And gosh, it's not like he's been caught lying about Cindy's financial support of with his campaign (he uses her company plane, after saying he wouldn't tap her wealth), that might make a non-mouthbreathing reporter wonder if there are any other financial shenanigans we should know about.

Nope, with this track record it's obviously principled concern for their kids. Unlike Teresa Heinz Kerry & John Kerry's...uh, nothing...that suggested it wasn't principled concern for her kids who weren't even related to John Kerry (and one of whom was incredibly private), but an attempt to hide a history of misuse of the husband's official position, self-dealing and duplicitiousness.

Posted by anonymous | May 9, 2008 3:33 PM

C'mon now - just because she inherited her fortune, owns 8 houses, and a private jet - does not mean that she and John McCain can't relate to the "regular" folk

Posted by KXB | May 9, 2008 3:33 PM

I agree with Toady. Cindy McCain THOROUGHLY creeps me out.

Posted by Rob Mac | May 9, 2008 3:35 PM

considering that she's the rich one of the couple, I don't see any reason to think he "stashed" money under her name. heck, they have a prenup.

Posted by Nathan | May 9, 2008 3:43 PM

Oh come on. Why should she release her tax returns? I'm sure she's not hiding anything. Its not like we're dealing with a drug-addicted thief here. This is Cindy McCain, a respected hard-working member of the working class.

Posted by Jayhawk Max | May 9, 2008 3:53 PM

drjimcooper forgot the most scandolous part of Michelle Obama--she has black children. Just like John McCain.

Posted by zaleriana | May 9, 2008 4:11 PM

considering that she's the rich one of the couple, I don't see any reason to think he "stashed" money under her name.

Gigolo John McCain has earned a six-figure Senator's income for the past 22 years and has also had substantial income from books, yet his most recent filing shows he only has $15-50K in a savings account. Either he's the most incompetent money manager ever, or he's hiding the money somewhere.

Posted by Stefan | May 9, 2008 4:36 PM

It might be me, but Ms. McCain's tone of voice reminded me of that long ago interview with Princess Diana (the one in which she had her head slightly cocked to one side, and where she spoke/whispered that she wanted to be known as "the Princess of people's hearts" or some such).

And yes, even though I'm an Obama nut, Ms. McCain has great hair...

Posted by JRVJ | May 9, 2008 4:38 PM

Stefan writes: "Gigolo John McCain has earned a six-figure Senator's income for the past 22 years and has also had substantial income from books, .... Either he's the most incompetent money manager ever, or he's hiding the money somewhere.
---------------
the nice news is that mccain gives a chunk of his income [including his book royalties] to charity.

the crappy news is that most of the senator’s charitable contributions were made to the John and Cindy McCain Family Foundation, which makes direct contributions to charities.

A campaign spokesman, who asked to speak anonymously, said the foundation is funded nearly entirely by proceeds from McCain’s book sales

In 2006, recipients of the foundation’s gifts included Brophy College Preparatory school, in Phoenix, $50,500; and Christ Lutheran School, in Phoenix, $42,639.

Both of Mccain's sons previously attended Brophy College Prep in Phoenix.

Christ Lutheran School is where McCain’s 15-year-old adopted daughter, Bridget, and their son Jim both attended.

details here: http://harpers.org/archive/2008/02/hbc-90002519

Posted by dj spellchecka | May 9, 2008 4:58 PM

To me, the salient question is whether other rich political spouses have released their returns. Did Teresa Kerry? I can't recall. If Kerry did, that's a better argument for McCain doing so as well. Matt's a journalist, so he can break this story...

BTW, what's this crap about "protecting her kids"? How in hell would her kids be harmed by this disclosure? Were Jenna and barbara harmed, was Chelsea harmed, etc by their parents releasing their returns?

Posted by Jim | May 9, 2008 5:32 PM

Jim,

Initially Teresa Heinz Kerry resisted, but when people complained she released them.

Posted by eric k | May 9, 2008 5:48 PM

I have a hard time getting too worked up about tax returns, but I do think the "kept man" meme could be powerfully damaging on a purely symbolic level. For example, McCain's a kept man of the Republican Party, too, on a certain level despite all the mavericky behavior. David Frum pointed this out in the Financial Times the other day.

Posted by fnook | May 9, 2008 5:53 PM

The really unjustified and, frankly, disgusting attacks on Teresa Heinz Kerry from 2004 make me play the world's tiniest violin for Mrs. McCain's troubles regarding her tax returns.

Posted by Tyro | May 9, 2008 5:53 PM

Did McCain say anything in 2004 about Teresa Kerry's tax returns?

Posted by DHN | May 9, 2008 7:19 PM

Eh, it only matters if McCain was going to become president...which he won't. But if everyone else is doing it, why not join in?

Posted by Sid | May 9, 2008 8:37 PM

Cindy McCain is the fruit of an illicit liaison between Anheuser-Busch, Inc. and the Mattel Corporation.

Posted by Henderstock | May 9, 2008 9:33 PM

Since Cindy McCain is a HOMEWRECKING WHORE, she may be hiding some income she receives from the Mustang Ranch.

Posted by MoeLarryAndJesus | May 9, 2008 9:47 PM

Unlike John Kerry (who was already a US Senator when he married Teresa Heinz), McCain went into politics only after Cindy put him on the payroll. Hell, he didn't even have any ties to Arizona until he married her.

Posted by beowulf | May 9, 2008 9:55 PM

My wife and I disagree on this vigorously. My main point is that, without releasing her tax returns, somebody could give Cindy a large gift, which would then be loaned to McCain's campaign (or, hell, just used for personal expenses) AND this money-laundering technique WAS ALREADY USED in the Keating 5 scandal.

Without seeing her tax returns, we're just trusting that they're not being bribed.

Posted by Luke | May 10, 2008 11:03 AM