There Is No Honor Among Thieves.....

[Thumpalumpacus]

Maybe.  Maybe he is not as rich as he pretends.  That could be why he won't release his tax returns.

I'm betting it's because he's paid little or no taxes, seeing as how his income derives in large part from real-estate holdings, which has all kinds of allowances for funny write-offs.

[abaris]

I'm betting it's because he's paid little or no taxes, seeing as how his income derives in large part from real-estate holdings, which has all kinds of allowances for funny write-offs.

He's well off. No doubt about that. But there are some credible reports out there saying that there's no way he's a billionaire. They did the math on all his failed businesses and what he actually made, going by the papers available to them. Some say he's no better off than the original 400 millions inherited from his father. Still a tidy sum, but still more or less pointing to a big fat zero under his own steam.

[Thumpalumpacus]

That may well be true, but it's a lot less damaging politically than the fact that he hasn't contributed to the common weal.

[CapnAwesome]

I'm betting it's because he's paid little or no taxes, seeing as how his income derives in large part from real-estate holdings, which has all kinds of allowances for funny write-offs.

He's well off. No doubt about that. But there are some credible reports out there saying that there's no way he's a billionaire. They did the math on all his failed businesses and what he actually made, going by the papers available to them. Some say he's no better off than the original 400 millions inherited from his father. Still a tidy sum, but still more or less pointing to a big fat zero under his own steam.

I think this is probably the reason he hasn't released his tax returns, although it could be any giant number of reasons really. It leaves a murky picture that opens up a huge amount of speculation that ranges from the sensible (he's not as successful as claimed or paid little taxes) to the conspiratorial (he's heavily invested in Russia and Putin) to the humorously absurd (he is secretly supporting Hillary Clinton or Planned Parenthood) There is really not even a clear idea of how much he inherited. (http://www.politifact.com/florida/articl...0-million/) although 400 million is the highest estimate that I've seen, what is that figure based on? Either way he's a diversified businessman and anyone who is will have losses and gains. You can't point towards a few losses and say that he's a shitty businessman, nor vice velrsa. Either way being a businessman who takes advantage of government loopholes and laws in no way qualifies him to make economic decisions.

[CapnAwesome]

How do you make that kind of losses with a casino??!

It's possible that he's misreporting losses to dodge taxes. It's pretty well known with Casinos. Or it's possible that it was mismanaged. Either way, pretty shady stuff going on between Christie and Trump.

[Thumpalumpacus]

"Mismanaged" goes to the heart of his claim to competence.

[Jackalope]

How do you make that kind of losses with a casino??!

Cooking the books?