General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forumshow much criminal activity would donnie's taxes actually reveal?
i get that we want to see donnie's taxes because they'd likely show he's lied about how rich he is, or they'd be embarrassing to him one way or another.
but in terms of criminal activity, how much would the tax returns themselves, *absent an audit*, show?
most tax evasion/fraud i can think of would simply show a number on the actual tax forms. and unless he's incredibly stupid, it would line up with any other form the government got (w-2s, 1099s, etc.)
the real tax evasion would only be uncovered by an audit, because, e.g., donnie can always claim he had deductible expenses to reduce his taxable income down to whatever, and it's not at all obvious just from looking at the tax return that the number is wrong. it's only when you ask donnie to produce the supporting receipts that it becomes clear that he manipulated the numbers or took business deductions for personal expenses, etc.
i'm looking forward to seeing his taxes, but i think it's just yet another piece of the puzzle in terms of the criminal case against him.
the immediate impact of seeing his tax returns would be far more political than criminal, imho.
jberryhill
(62,444 posts)...that there is some kind of itemized schedule of graft, kickbacks and bribes or something.
unblock
(52,387 posts)theboss
(10,491 posts)Its more a question of determining his wealth and where it comes from.
panader0
(25,816 posts)but the revelation that he isn't rich. Image shattered.
2naSalit
(86,843 posts)AOC's questions to Michael Cohen the other day, and Lawrence O'Donnell pointed this out tonight, you would know.
Having his tax returns/records along with other documentation, like insurance claims and evaluations of property, when compared, will show where they lied about worth and income. That's what the taxes will be needed for. And will very quickly reveal tax fraud and insurance fraud for starters.
Very necessary to have the tax info.
unblock
(52,387 posts)You need this other information to show the inconsistency with the tax filing.
You need to have evidence of income greater than what was reported, for instance.
Sure it's important. But it won't have all the answers.
2naSalit
(86,843 posts)a comparison of these individual sets of documentation to determine, on paper so to speak, where purposeful deception occurred. Just the taxes, or just the finance documents or whatever will not produce hard evidence that is necessary to show that the crimes occurred. They must be compared to show discrepancies that indicate willful breaking of law.
Why is that a hard concept to grasp?
Liberal In Texas
(13,592 posts)Be nice to see how much.
Response to unblock (Original post)
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GulfCoast66
(11,949 posts)People dont layout their nefarious actions to the IRS.
It it over blown in my opinion and would only show he is not that rich.