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August 17, 2012

Romney Says His Tax Rate Was At Least 13 Percent over the Past Decade 
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Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is claiming to have paid
an effective tax rate of at least 13 percent over the past 10 years.
Romney made the claim on Thursday in response to long-running
speculation fueled by his refusal to release his tax returns. Speaking
in South Carolina, Romney said the focus on his finances is
"small-minded."

Mitt Romney: "I just have to say, given the challenges that America
faces —- 23 million people out of work, Iran about to become nuclear,
one out of six Americans in poverty —- the fascination with taxes
I’ve paid I find to be very small-minded compared to the broad issues
that we face. But I did go back and look at my taxes and over the past
10 years I never paid less than 13 percent. I think the most recent year
is 13.6 or something like that. So I paid taxes every single year. Harry
Reid’s charge is totally false. I’m sure waiting for Harry to put up
who it was that told him what he says they told him. I don’t believe
it for a minute, by the way. But every year I’ve paid at least 13
percent and if you add in addition the amount that goes to charity, why
the number gets well above 20 percent."

The controversy over Romney's taxes escalated recently when Senate
Majority Leader Harry Reid claimed without providing evidence that
Romney had avoided paying taxes entirely in some years. Romney has
denied Reid's claims, but has maintained his refusal to release his
returns.

 

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