CNN — Ann Romney stood firmly by her husband’s commitment to release only two years of tax returns in an interview airing Thursday, saying the information already disclosed was plenty of transparency for the presumptive GOP nominee.
“There are so many things that will be open again for more attack, and you just give more material for more attack, and that’s the answer. We’ve given all you people need to know and understand about our financial situation and about how we live our life,” Mrs. Romney said on ABC.
“The election, again, will not be decided on that,” she continued.
Romney has released his tax return from 2010, and an estimate for his 2011 information. He filed for an extension on submitting his taxes in April, and has vowed to release the full return when his accountant finalized the documents.
Democrats, and some Republicans, have urged Romney to disclose more of his tax information. Democrats say additional returns will clear up questions about offshore accounts and his rate of income tax, while Republicans say it would be politically advantageous to disclose more information.
In the interview airing Thursday, Ann Romney said the information already released showed Romney was a financially generous — and responsible — man.
“You know, you should really look at where Mitt has led his life, and where he’s been financially,” Mrs. Romney said. “He’s a very generous person. We give 10% of our income to our church every year. Do you think that is the kind of person who is trying to hide things, or do things? No. He is so good about it.”
The 2011 tax estimate released in January showed the Romneys gave $2.6 million to their church last year, more than 12% of the roughly $21 million they earned. The Romneys also gave $1.4 million last year in cash and stock to their family foundation, which heavily supports the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
In 2010, the other year for which the Romneys released a federal tax return, they gave $1.5 million to the LDS church, 7% of their earnings, plus $900,000 to their family foundation, called the Tyler Foundation.
The Tyler Foundation gave $145,000 to the LDS church in 2010, so the Romneys’ church donations average out to 10% over the last two years.
