Illinois Democrat Brad Schneider Refuses to Release Tax Returns Even After Democrats Say He Should
Even His Own Party Agrees, It’s Time for Brad Schneider to Release His 2011 and 2012 Tax Returns
Libertyville, IL—For nearly two years, Brad Schneider has ignored demands from both the public and the press to release his tax returns dating back to 2011, the year prior to seeking public office. In particular, Congressman Schneider’s refusal to release his 2011 and 2012 returns, which would disclose any potential conflicts of interest from the years immediately preceding his term in Congress, has earned the ire of voters across the 10th District.
This week, Illinois Democrats, including the Administration that redrew the state’s congressional map to help elect Brad Schneider to Congress, joined in the chorus by labeling disclosure of tax returns from the period prior to taking public office as “the standard” and as “the expectation of the voting populous.”
At a Monday press conference, Democratic Lt. Governor Shelia Simon weighed in on the need for candidates and elected officials to release their tax returns dating back to the year prior to appearing on the ballot. “Being engaged in public politics and governance requires a sacrifice of some privacy, but it’s a small sacrifice, and it’s worth it because transparency builds trust. This is not a ‘gotcha.’ This is governing. Let’s do it right,” Simon said.
The Record: Dold v. Schneider on Transparency
• While Bob Dold has released his tax returns dating back to 2009, the year before he sought public office,Rep. Schneider refused repeated requests from voters and the media to follow suit as a candidate in 2012, insisting that his tax records are private.
• Earlier this year, facing mounting pressure in the press, Congressman Schneider abandon his “privacy” excuse, but continued to dodge demands that he release his 2011 and 2012 returns. Instead, Schneider stated that he was only open to releasing his 2013 return —the year after he was elected to Congress and in which his salary as a Member of Congress was already public information.
• To date, not only has Congressman Schneider failed the transparency litmus test set by his own Party by refusing to release his 2011 and 2012 returns, but has even failed to produce his far less important 2013 return, stating that an extension he filed with the IRS prevents him from doing so.
• In addition to hiding his tax returns, Congressman Schneider has also failed to file his required Personal Financial Disclosure with the House of Representatives, which was due on May 15th. Instead, he filed an extension, which would allow him to evade any scrutiny about his financial past until just weeks before the 2014 election.
“While families across the 10th District are getting pummeled by higher prices on everything from fuel to food to healthcare, Congressman Schneider is more than happy to tell his constituents that they should pay higher taxes too—yet he refuses to disclose to them what taxes he’s been paying. With a toxic 28 percent approval rating and an appalling level of comfort with ignoring his constituents, few people expect much from Congressman Schneider at this point, but his failure to adhere to a basic standard of transparency by releasing his 2011 and 2012 tax returns is simply inexcusable,” Dold Campaign Manager James Slepian said.
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