Statement on Trump’s Foreign Business Entanglements

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In response to new reporting from the Wall Street Journal on Donald Trump’s dangerous and unprecedented foreign business entanglements, Hillary for America deputy communications director Christina Reynolds issued the following statement:

“Donald Trump has business all around the world, and while he has failed to disclose full details of his business record, what we know is truly disturbing. The idea of a President Trump trying to negotiate with foreign leaders while having his business at stake is simply unacceptable and raises real questions about how he would handle matters of national security. This is just one more reason why he cannot be president.”

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

KEY POINT: “Those whom Ivanka Trump, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump have worked with abroad include: the family of a developer in India who is a ruling-party politician, an Azerbaijani government minister’s son and a media company that became the Turkish president’s outlet of choice during the July 15 coup attempt.

No recent president has had a portfolio of international business interests as extensive as Mr. Trump’s—or as great a level of business engagement on his behalf by offspring, who have also played a role in his campaign.”

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News Source: The Wall Street Journal

Bipartisan Group of Former DOJ Officials Raise Concerns Over Comey’s Breach Of Protocol

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Sunday, as reported by the Associated Press, a group of nearly 100 former federal prosecutors and high-ranking DOJ officials from both Democratic and Republican administrations, including former AG Eric Holder and former Deputy AG Larry Thompson, issued the following joint letter expressing serious concerns over FBI Director Comey’s departure from long-standing department protocols:

As former federal prosecutors and high-ranking officials of the U.S. Department of Justice, we know that the impartiality and nonpartisanship of the United States justice system makes it exceptional throughout the world.  To maintain fairness and neutrality, federal law enforcement officials must exercise discipline whenever they make public statements in connection with an ongoing investigation.  Often, evidence uncovered during the course of an investigative inquiry is incomplete, misleading or even incorrect, and releasing such information before all of the facts are known and tested in a court of law can unfairly prejudice individuals and undermine the public’s faith in the integrity of our legal process.

For this reason, Justice Department officials are instructed to refrain from commenting publicly on the existence, let alone the substance, of pending investigative matters, except in exceptional circumstances and with explicit approval from the Department of Justice officials responsible for ultimate supervision of the matter.  They are also instructed to exercise heightened restraint near the time of a primary or general election because, as official guidance from the Department instructs, public comment on a pending investigative matter may affect the electoral process and create the appearance of political interference in the fair administration of justice.

It is out of our respect for such settled tenets of the United States Department of Justice that we are moved to express our concern with the recent letter issued by FBI Director James Comey to eight Congressional Committees.  Many of us have worked with Director Comey; all of us respect him.  But his unprecedented decision to publicly comment on evidence in what may be an ongoing inquiry just eleven days before a presidential election leaves us both astonished and perplexed. We cannot recall a prior instance where a senior Justice Department official—Republican or Democrat—has, on the eve of a major election, issued a public statement where the mere disclosure of information may impact the election’s outcome, yet the official acknowledges the information to be examined may not be significant or new.

Director Comey’s letter is inconsistent with prevailing Department policy, and it breaks with longstanding practices followed by officials of both parties during past elections.  Moreover, setting aside whether Director Comey’s original statements in July were warranted, by failing to responsibly supplement the public record with any substantive, explanatory information, his letter begs the question that further commentary was necessary.  For example, the letter provides no details regarding the content, source or recipient of the material; whether the newly-discovered evidence contains any classified or confidential information; whether the information duplicates material previously reviewed by the FBI; or even “whether or not [the] material may be significant.”

Perhaps most troubling to us is the precedent set by this departure from the Department’s widely-respected, non-partisan traditions.  The admonitions that warn officials against making public statements during election periods have helped to maintain the independence and integrity of both the Department’s important work and public confidence in the hardworking men and women who conduct themselves in a nonpartisan manner.

We believe that adherence to longstanding Justice Department guidelines is the best practice when considering public statements on investigative matters.  We do not question Director Comey’s motives. However, the fact remains that the Director’s disclosure has invited considerable, uninformed public speculation about the significance of newly-discovered material just days before a national election.  For this reason, we believe the American people deserve all the facts, and fairness dictates releasing information that provides a full and complete picture regarding the material at issue.

Signatories:

  • Eric H. Holder, former Attorney General of the United States
  • Stuart M. Gerson, former Acting Attorney General of the United States, former Assistant Attorney General
  • Donald B. Ayer, former Deputy Attorney General of the United States
  • James M. Cole, former Deputy Attorney General of the United States
  • Jamie S. Gorelick, former Deputy Attorney General of the United States
  • Gary G. Grindler, former Acting Deputy Attorney General of the United States
  • Larry D. Thompson, former Deputy Attorney General of the United States
  • David W. Ogden, former Deputy Attorney General of the United States
  • Wayne A. Budd, former Associate Attorney General of the United States, former U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts
  • Tony West, former Associate Attorney General of the United States
  • Neal Kumar Katyal, former Acting Solicitor General of the United States
  • Lanny A. Breuer, former Assistant Attorney General, Criminal Division
  • Christine A. Varney, former Assistant Attorney General, Antitrust Division
  • Lourdes Baird, former U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California
  • Paul Coggins, former U.S. Attorney for Northern District of Texas
  • Jenny Durkan, former U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington
  • Melinda L. Haag, former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California
  • Timothy Heaphy, former U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia
  • Scott R. Lassar, former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois
  • Michael D. McKay, former U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington
  • Harry Litman, former U.S. Attorney for Western District of Pennsylvania
  • Neil H. MacBride, former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia
  • Bill Nettles, former U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina
  • Timothy Q. Purdon, former U.S. Attorney for the District of North Dakota
  • Donald Stern, former U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts
  • Anne M. Tompkins, former U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina
  • Elkan Abramowitz, former Chief of the Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York
  • David B. Anders, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York
  • Jodi L. Avergun, former Section Chief, U.S. Department of Justice Criminal Division
  • Marion Bachrach, former Chief of General Crimes, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York
  • Richard Ben-Veniste, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and former Assistant Watergate Prosecutor
  • Shay Bilchik, former Director, U.S. Department of Justice Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
  • David M. Buckner, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida
  • Alex Busansky, former prosecutor, U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division
  • Helen V. Cantwell, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York
  • Sandra Cavazos, former Assistant US Attorney for the Northern District of California and the Eastern District of New York
  • Charles E. Clayman, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York
  • Joel M. Cohen, former Chief of the Business and Securities Fraud Division, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York
  • Leo P. Cunningham, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California
  • Bert Deixler, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California
  • Keir Dougall, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York
  • Ira M. Feinberg, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York
  • Cary M. Feldman, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia
  • Martin Flumenbaum, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York
  • Stuart L. Gasner, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Hawaii
  • Douglas F. Gansler, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, and former Attorney General of Maryland
  • Faith Gay, former Deputy Chief of the Special Prosecutions and Civil Rights Divisions, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York
  • Gerald Greenberg, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida
  • Fred Hafetz, former Chief of the Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York
  • John Heuston, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California
  • Michele Hirshman, former Chief of the General Crimes and Public Corruption Units, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York
  • Sydney Hoffmann, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia
  • June M. Jeffries, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia
  • Marcia Jensen, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California
  • John Joseph, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
  • Nancy Kestenbaum, former Chief of General Crimes, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York
  • David V. Kirby, former Chief of the Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont
  • Barbara E. Kittay, former prosecutor, U.S. Department of Justice, Criminal Division, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia
  • David S. Krakoff, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia
  • Larry H. Krantz, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York
  • Miriam Krinsky, former Chief of General Crimes, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California
  • Laurie Levenson, former Assistant U.S. Attorney, Central District of California
  • Tim Lewis, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania, and former federal judge on the Third Circuit Court of Appeals
  • Lori Lightfoot, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois
  • Debra Long-Doyle, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia
  • Carl H. Loewenson, Jr., former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York
  • Jeffrey Marcus, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida
  • Richard Marmaro, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California
  • Douglass B. Maynard, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York
  • Seth Miles, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida
  • Amy Millard, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York
  • Curtis B. Miner, dormer Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida
  • Cynthia Monaco, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York
  • Martin Perschetz, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York
  • Elliot R. Peters, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York
  • Karen A. Popp, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York
  • Jeff Rabkin, former Assistant U.S Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and for the Northern District of California
  • Daniel L. Rashbaum, former Assistant U.S. Attorney Southern District of Florida
  • Alicia Strohl Resnicoff, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
  • David H. Resnicoff, former Assistant U.S. Attorney, Eastern District of Pennsylvania
  • Lawrence Robbins, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York
  • Frank A. Rothermel, former U.S. Department of Justice Civil Fraud Prosecutor
  • Lee Rubin, former prosecutor, U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia
  • Betty Santangelo, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York
  • John Savarese, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York
  • Richard L. Scheff, former Chief of the Corruption and Labor Divisions, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
  • William Schwartz, former Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York
  • John Siffert, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York
  • David Sklansky, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California
  • Matthew E. Sloan, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia and the Central District of California
  • Judge Mike Snipes, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas
  • Stephen R. Spivack, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia
  • Jeremy H. Temkin, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York
  • Eric Tirschwell, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York
  • Michael Tremonte, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York
  • Amy Walsh, former Chief of the Business and Securities Fraud Division, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York
  • Richard D. Weinberg, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York
  • Peter Zeidenberg, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, and U.S. Department of Justice Public Integrity Section
  • Lawrence J. Zweifach, former Chief of the Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on TwitterFacebookYouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

News Source: The Briefing

Donald Trump: Conspiracy Theorist in Chief

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Donald Trump has a long, well-documented history of peddling conspiracy theories. He has pushed debunked lies for decades, including most notably pushing birtherism into the mainstream, and has continued this behavior on the campaign trail, even praising and doing an interview with infamous conspiracy theorist Alex Jones of Infowars. And today, he has taken to Twitter to spout more conspiracy theories.

Hillary for America Deputy Communications Director Christina Reynolds issued the following statement in response to Trump’s latest antics:

“When you’re losing in most polls and the facts and voters aren’t on your side, it’s not surprising you might rely on fictional conspiracy theories. Sadly, this is not just a moment of desperation for Trump, it’s a disturbing habit. For years, he has pushed dangerous and debunked conspiracy theories, behavior that’s better suited for a fringe website than the White House.”

Over the past day, Trump spoke out at his rally and took to Twitter to share absurd theories.

Trump’s conspiracy theory: Polls show he is ahead, but the press isn’t reporting it.

  • @realDonaldTrump: “Major story that the Dems are making up phony polls in order to suppress the the Trump . We are going to WIN!”
  • @realDonaldTrump: “We are winning and the press is refusing to report it. Don’t let them fool you- get out and vote! #DrainTheSwamp on November 8th!”

Trump’s conspiracy theory: A new “secret tape” shows Hillary Clinton wants to bring in unlimited Syrian refugees.

  • @realDonaldTrump: “Wow, just came out on secret tape that Crooked Hillary wants to take in as many Syrians as possible. We cannot let this happen – ISIS!”

Trump’s conspiracy theory: The battle for Mosul, Iraq is a failure just days into the operation.

  • @realDonaldTrump: “The attack on Mosul is turning out to be a total disaster. We gave them months of notice. U.S. is looking so dumb. VOTE TRUMP and WIN AGAIN!”

Trump’s conspiracy theory: The battle for Mosul is underway because President Obama want to show off before November 8.

  • Washington Post: “Trump said that Mosul, Iraq, is under heavy attack because “Obama wanted to show what a tough guy he is before the election.” (Iraqi forces have been taking the lead in the fight to retake the city from the Islamic State.)”

His behavior should come as no surprise. After all, Trump was the first major party candidate ever to do an interview with conspiracy theorist Alex Jones. It is a pattern demonstrated by the litany of conspiracy theories Trump has peddled on the campaign trail and in the decades prior.

The Washington Post: “[Trump] embraces conspiracy theories as readily as he creates them. He’s the first major-party candidate to conduct an interview with Alex Jones, one of the foremost conspiracy theorists in modern America.”

Austin American-Statesman: Austin’s Alex Jones: The voice in Donald Trump’s head: “It is surreal to talk about issues here on air and then word for word hear Trump say it two days later,” Jones said in August. “It is amazing.”

Trump’s conspiracy theory: President Obama was Muslim and rendered ineligible for the presidency because he was born in Kenya.

  • President Obama may not have been born in the United States.
    • TRUMP: “If you are going to be president of the United States you have to be born in this country. And there is a doubt as to whether or not he was. … He doesn’t have a birth certificate.”
  • Trump’s sources tell him President Obama’s long-form birth certificate wasn’t valid, and “a lot of people” agree.
    • @realDonaldTrump: “An ‘Extremely Credible Source’ Has Called My Office And Told Me That @BarackObama’s Birth Certificate Is A Fraud.”
    • FITZPATRICK: “He is a citizen. He produced that long form birth certificate.” TRUMP: “A lot of people don’t agree with you. A lot of people feel it wasn’t a proper certificate.”
  • President Obama’s birth certificate would say he was Muslim.
    • CNN: “The effort helped fuel the so-called ‘birther’ conspiracy theory that held that Obama was born in Kenya — and Trump also floated the idea that Obama’s birth documents may label him a Muslim. ‘He doesn’t have a birth certificate. He may have one, but there’s something on that, maybe religion, maybe it says he is a Muslim,’ Trump told Fox News in 2011. ‘I don’t know. Maybe he doesn’t want that.’”
  • In 2016, we still don’t know whether President Obama was a natural-born citizen.
    • BLITZER: “His mother was a U.S. citizen-born in Kansas. Was he a natural-born citizen?” TRUMP: “Who knows? Who knows? Who cares right now? We’re talking about something else, OK. I mean, I have my own theory on Obama.”

Trump’s conspiracy theory: Hillary Clinton used some type of performance enhancing drug at the presidential debate.

  • TRUMP: “At the beginning of her last debate, she was all pumped at the beginning, but at the end she was all ‘take me down.’ … I think we should take a drug test.”

Trump’s conspiracy theory: Trump claimed President Obama and Hillary Clinton were the founders of ISIS.

  • PolitiFact: “Trump said Obama ‘founded ISIS. I would say the cofounder would be crooked Hillary Clinton.’ All this makes Trump’s statement a ridiculous characterization. He’s doubled, tripled and quadrupled down on it in various venues and has reinforced that he meant his words to be taken literally. We rate it Pants on Fire.”

Trump’s conspiracy theory:  Undocumented immigrants are streaming across the border to vote against him.

  • org: “Donald Trump mangled the facts when he claimed that the Obama administration is ‘letting people pour into the country so they can go and vote.’ People who come into the country illegally are not permitted to vote, and the consequences for doing so are severe. Immigrants must reside in the U.S. legally for several years before they can apply for citizenship through the 10-step naturalization process, which can take several more months.”

Trump’s conspiracy theory: It is possible that Antonin Scalia was murdered.

  • New York Times: “It was a question that most major presidential candidates would have quickly dismissed as absurd, even offensive: What do you make of these theories that Justice Antonin Scalia was murdered? For Donald J. Trump, it appeared unavoidably juicy, and possibly the next big pop-culture fixation. ‘You know, I just landed, and I’m hearing it’s a big topic,’ Mr. Trump told the radio host Michael Savage from South Carolina, in an interview just a few days after the Supreme Court justice’s unexpected death.”

Trump’s conspiracy theory: One of the protesters at his rally was affiliated with ISIS.

  • TODD: “Well, no, that’s what I — we have checked it; that’s my point, sir. There’s no ties to ISIS for this man, no law enforcement official. And this video that you link to appears to be a hoax.”  TRUMP: “OK. You just — look, well, was it a hoax that he’s dragging the flag? Was that him? It looked like the same man to me. He was dragging a flag along the ground. And he was playing a certain type of music. And supposedly there was chatter about ISIS. Now I don’t know. What do I know about it? All I know is what’s on the Internet.”

Trump conspiracy theory: Unemployment statistics are “phony” and jobs reports are “rigged.”

  • Washington Post: “The Trump theory: Trump has repeatedly argued that the ‘real’ unemployment rate is far higher than the 5-percent-or-so it’s been at since Trump announced his candidacy. He’s said that unemployment is actually over 40 percent, for example. His son, Donald Jr., has said that the numbers are ‘massaged to make the existing economy look good.’ It has echoes from the 2012 campaign, when businessman Jack Welch suggested that ‘Chicago guys’ were manipulating the numbers.”
  • TRUMP: “Here we are hovering at nothing. Our jobs are gone, we have bad jobs. They have a phony employment rate. Bad jobs numbers last week. Did you see those bad jobs numbers? That’s the last jobs report before the election. I was shocked. I was so surprised that they let that happen. Because it’s all rigged. It’s all rigged.” [Trump Campaign Rally, Wilkes-Barre PA, 10/10/16]

Trump’s conspiracy theory: Thousands of American Muslims cheered when the World Trade Center Collapsed.

  • Politifact: “Trump said he ‘watched in Jersey City, N.J., where thousands and thousands of people were cheering’ as the World Trade Center collapsed. This defies basic logic. If thousands and thousands of people were celebrating the 9/11 attacks on American soil, many people beyond Trump would remember it. And in the 21st century, there would be video or visual evidence.”

Trump’s conspiracy theory: Ted Cruz’s father was involved with the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

  • Politico: “Donald Trump on Tuesday alleged that Ted Cruz’s father was with John F. Kennedy’s assassin shortly before he murdered the president, parroting a National Enquirer story claiming that Rafael Cruz was pictured with Lee Harvey Oswald handing out pro-Fidel Castro pamphlets in New Orleans in 1963.”

Trump’s conspiracy theory: The Chinese made up global warming to hurt America..

  • @realDonaldTrump: “The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive.

Trump’s conspiracy theory: Vaccines can be “very dangerous” and even cause autism.

  • TRUMP: “And I think the vaccines can be very dangerous. And, obviously, you know, a lot of people are talking about vaccines with children with respect to autism. And every report comes out, like, you know, that does not happen, but a lot of people feel that the vaccines are what causes autism in children.”

Trump’s conspiracy theory: Asbestos was a con created by the mob.

New York Magazine: “Eventually, this leads Trump to a mediation on who is destroying New York – the lobby that does environmental-impact and shadow studies. ‘One of the great cons is asbestos…There’s nothing wrong except the mob has a strong lobby in Albany because they have the dumps and control the truck.’”

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HFA Statement on Trump’s Closing Argument

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HFA Deputy Communications Director Christina Reynolds offered the following statement on Trump’s “closing argument” speech today in Gettysburg, PA:

“Today, in what was billed as a major closing argument speech, Trump’s major new policy was to promise political and legal retribution against the women who have accused him of groping them. Like Trump’s campaign, this speech gave us a troubling view as to what a Trump State of the Union would sound like—rambling, unfocused, full of conspiracy theories and attacks on the media, and lacking in any real answers for American families.”

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on TwitterFacebookYouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

News Source: The Washington Post

Hillary For America’s Response to Trump’s Inaccurate Ad

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On Thursday, Hillary for America responded to an ad from Donald Trump that characterized a number of Trump’s key policies. Hillary for America Deputy Communications Director Christina Reynolds responded to the ad with the following statement and breakdown of the claims made.

“Another day, another false ad from Trump. The truth is Trump’s plan actually raises taxes on millions of middle class families, especially working single moms and dads, and showers the wealthy with huge tax cuts. Hillary Clinton has pledged not to raise taxes on the middle class and will work to build an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top. This stands in strong contrast to Donald Trump, who apparently did not pay a cent in federal income taxes for nearly 20 years and is now trying to hide the fact that his economic plan represents a huge boon to the very wealthy.”

TRANSCRIPT

TRUMP RECORD

VOICEOVER: What does electing Donald Trump president mean for you? Families making $60,000 a year? You get a 20% tax rate reduction.

SUPER: Donald J. Trump Tax Plan, DonaldJTrump.com

MILLIONS OF FAMILIES, INCLUDING SINGLE PARENTS, WOULD SEE TAX INCREASES UNDER TRUMP’S TAX PLAN

Washington Post: “More Than Half Of America’s Single Parents And One-Fifth Of Its Families With Children Could See Their Federal Income Taxes Go Up Under Republican Donald Trump’s Revamped Tax Plan.” “More than half of America’s single parents and one-fifth of its families with children could see their federal income taxes go up under Republican Donald Trump’s revamped tax plan, according to a new analysis of the plan by a New York University professor who previously served as a tax specialist for the Obama administration and the Senate Finance Committee.” [Washington Post, 9/24/16]

Washington Post: “The Analysis Estimates That More Than Half Of Single Parents Would See Tax Increases.” “The analysis estimates that more than half of single parents would see tax increases, because Trump eliminates what is called ‘head of household’ filing status, which gives single parents a higher standard deduction and lower rates than they otherwise would have had. Other researchers have also flagged that possibility. ‘Single parents get hit with all three of the tax increases under Trump’s plan’ — the loss of personal deductions, the loss of head-of-household status and higher rates on some income — said Harry Stein, the director of fiscal policy for the liberal Center for American Progress Action Fund, who has written about the potential effects of the Trump plan.” [Washington Post, 9/24/16]

POLITIFACT SAID IT WAS TRUE TO SAY EXPERTS FOUND TRUMP’S TAX PLAN COULD RAISE TAXES ON SOME MIDDLE CLASS FAMILIES

PolitiFact Said Hillary Clinton Was Correct In Saying Independent Experts Found Trump’s Tax Plan Would Add $5 Trillion To The Debt And Disadvantage Middle Class Families. “Clinton said that, according to ‘independent experts,’ Trump’s tax plan ‘would blow up the debt by over $5 trillion and would in some instances disadvantage middle-class families compared to the wealthy.’ Batchelder’s past work for Senate Democrats and the Obama White House may lead some to question whether she is an ‘independent expert.’ But her estimate of the debt increase was mirrored by findings by the more conservative Tax Foundation and the deficit-hawk Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. And the Tax Foundation said Batchelder’s analysis of tax increases for some families seemed ‘reasonable.’ We rate Clinton’s statement True.” [PolitiFact, 9/27/16]

VOICEOVER: Working moms? You get paid maternity leave and an average $5,000 childcare tax reduction. TRUMP’S MATERNITY LEAVE POLICY WOULD LEAVE OUT SINGLE MOTHERS, FATHERS AND ADOPTIVE PARENTS

Ivanka Trump Said Her Father’s Paid Maternity Leave Was Meant To Help “The Mother Who Has Given Birth To The Child If They Have Legal Married Status Under The Tax Code.” Q: “OK, so when it comes to same-sex—” IVANKA TRUMP: “So it’s meant to benefit, whether it’s in same-sex marriages as well, to benefit the mother who has given birth to the child if they have legal married status under the tax code.” Q: “Well, what about gay couples, where both partners are men?” IVANKA TRUMP: “The policy is fleshed out online, so you can go see all the elements of it. But the original intention of the plan is to help mothers in recovery in the immediate aftermath of childbirth.” [Cosmopolitan, 9/14/16]

Trump’s Plan Specifically Provides Leave To Mothers, Not To Fathers Or To Those Who Need Paid Leave To Care For A Seriously Ill Family Member. “What about dads? The plan applies to women — specifically, mothers. It doesn’t apply to fathers or those who have to care for a family member with a serious illness, unlike the existing federal legislation. ‘Trump frames it as maternity leave. We don’t target a specific gender under the family paid leave program in the U.S. It’s available to a families as a whole,’ noted Mathur.” [NBC News, 9/14/16]

TRUMP’S CHILD CARE PLAN PROVIDES A DEDUCTION UP TO A STATE’S AVERAGE COST OF CHILD CARE – NOT A REDUCTION OF $5,000

Trump Campaign: “The [Childcare] Deduction Would Be Limited To The Average Cost Of Child Care… The Deduction Would Be Limited To $5,000 Per Year.” “The exclusion would apply to a variety of different kinds of childcare—institutional, private, nursery school, afterschool care, and enrichment activities—affording choice to parents. The deduction would be limited to the average cost of childcare in the state of residence for the age of the child. […] Similarly, the Trump plan would also allow an above-the-line deduction for eldercare costs necessary to keep a family member working outside the home. It would apply to costs like home care or adult day care costs for elderly dependents when those expenses are needed to keeping family members in the workforce. The deduction would be limited to $5,000 per year.” [Donald Trump Childcare Plan, accessed 10/6/16]

A FAMILY MAKING $60,000, SUBJECT TO A 15% INCOME TAX RATE, WOULD SAVE $750 – BECAUSE 15% OF $5,000 IS $750

Joint Filers Making $60,000 Are Subject To A 15% Tax Rate. [Internal Revenue Service, accessed 10/6/16]

TRUMP’S CHILD CARE PLAN WOULD HELP THE RICH FAR MORE THAN THE MIDDLE CLASS

Under Trump’s Plan, Wealthy Families Making $500,000 A Year Would Get A Child Care Tax Break Over 2.6 Times Larger Than The One A Family Making $60,000 Would Get. “The centerpiece of Trump’s child care plan is a tax deduction, which is simply the wrong policy for making child care affordable, since it will always offer the most help to those who need it the least. For example, under Trump’s plan, wealthy families making $500,000 would get a child care tax break that is 2.64 times larger than the same tax break for a family making $60,000. Put another way, Trump would give the wealthy family a tax deduction worth $39.60 for every $100 they pay for child care, since they are in the 39.6 percent tax bracket. Meanwhile, the middle-class family in the 15 percent tax bracket would get a tax deduction worth only $15 for every $100 spent on child care. Even if the middle-class family spends the same amount as the wealthy family for child care, the wealthy family’s tax cut is much larger.” [Harry Stein, US News, 9/14/16]

TRUMP’S CHILD CARE PLAN WILL “BARELY MAKE A DENT” IN THE CHILD CARE COSTS OF FAMILIES WHO DON’T PAY INCOME TAXES

Trump’s Child Care Tax Deduction Wouldn’t Help The 44 Percent Of Families That Don’t Pay Income Taxes, And Trump’s Solution To That, An Annual Rebate “Will Barely Make A Dent” In Most Child Care Bills. “And tax deductions do nothing for the 44 percent of families that don’t earn enough to pay income taxes. Trump’s solution for accommodating these lower-income families is to offer a rebate of $1,200 per year. With average child care expenses exceeding the cost of rent and college tuition in most states, this rebate will barely make a dent in most families’ child care bills.” [Vivien Labaton, CNBC, 9/14/16]

TRUMP’S TAX DEDUCTIONS WOULDN’T HELP FAMILIES PAY CHILD CARE COSTS ON A WEEKLY OR MONTHLY BASIS

Trump’s End-Of-Year Tax Break Wouldn’t Help Families That Pay Child Care Costs On A Weekly Or Monthly Basis. “Second, most families have to pay their child care provider weekly or monthly, so an end-of-year tax break is no help. Trump’s child care plan assumes parents can pay thousands of dollars up-front each month to even qualify for his deduction, and then wait up to a year to get reimbursed. When you’re struggling every week to make ends meet, an end-of-year deduction or rebate is too little too late.” [Vivien Labaton, CNBC, 9/14/16]

TRUMP CLAIMED HE OFFERED CHILD CARE FOR HIS EMPLOYEES, BUT IT WAS ACTUALLY A PROGRAM FOR RESORT GUESTS TO GET AMENITIES LIKE CHILD SPA SERVICES

“Trump Kids” And “Trumpeteers” Were Programs For Guests Of Trump’s Hotels And A Golf Club, Not His Employees. “The billionaire real estate mogul, who previously voiced his opposition to government-funded universal pre-K programs, said in Newton, Iowa, in November 2015 that he had visited many companies that offered workers on-site child-care centers — and added that he offered such programs himself. […] Trump pointed specifically to two programs: ‘They call ’em Trump Kids. Another one calls it Trumpeteers, if you can believe it. I have ’em. I actually have ’em, because I have a lot of different businesses.’ […] But the two programs Trump cited — ‘Trump Kids’ and ‘Trumpeteers’ — are programs catering to patrons of Trump’s hotels and golf club. They are not for Trump’s employees, according to staff at Trump’s hotels and clubs across the country.” [Associated Press, 8/11/16]

VOICEOVER: Business owners, your taxes get cut from 35% to 15% so you can expand and create more jobs. TRUMP PLEDGED TO LOWER THE CORPORATE TAX RATE TO 15%, AND MAKE PASS THROUGH INCOME SUBJECT TO THAT RATE, WHICH COULD SAVE HIM MILLIONS

HEADLINE: “Donald Trump’s New Tax Plan Could Have A Big Winner: Donald Trump’s Companies” [Washington Post, 8/10/16]

CBPP: “Mr. Trump’s Plan Would Set The Individual Tax Rate On Pass-Through Business Income At 15 Percent, Ten Percentage Points Below His Proposed 25 Percent Top Tax Rate On Ordinary Income.” “Mr. Trump’s plan would set the individual tax rate on pass-through business income at 15 percent, ten percentage points below his proposed 25 percent top tax rate on ordinary income.  If the ability to escape a 2.9 percent payroll tax (the payroll tax rate that would otherwise apply) encourages wealthy pass-through business owners to reclassify their labor earnings as ‘business’ income, a ten percentage-point tax-rate differential would provide a far greater incentive for such taxpayers to try to classify more of their ordinary earnings as pass-through business income.” [Center On Budget And Policy Priorities, 8/8/16]

Tax Policy Center Expert: Pass-Through Provision “Is A Really Nice Deal” For Trump. “’It’s a really nice deal’ for Trump and pass-through owners like him, said Roberton Williams, a senior fellow at the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center.” [Washington Post, 8/10/16]

Trump Claimed His 2015 Income Was “In Excess” Of $557 Million Excluding Dividends, Interest, Capital Gains, Rents, And Royalties. “Mr. Trump’s income as reported in the PFD statement is in excess of $557 million (which does not include dividends, interest, capital gains, rents and royalties). Mr. Trump’s net worth has increased since the last statement was filed in July of 2015. As of this date, Mr. Trump’s net worth is in excess of $10 billion dollars.” [Donald Trump, Press Release, 5/17/16]

VOICEOVER: Donald Trump. Prosperity for you, America great again. TRUMP’S ECONOMIC POLICIES WOULD PUSH AMERICA TOWARDS A RECESSION AND LEAD TO 3.5 FEWER MILLION JOBS

A Moody’s Analytics Report On Trump’s Economic Proposals On Taxes, Trade, Immigration And Spending Found That Trump’s Policies Could Sharply Reduce Economic Output And Reduce Employment By 3.5 Million Jobs During His First Term. “A new analysis concludes Donald Trump’s economic proposals, taken at face value, could produce a prolonged recession and heavy job losses that would fall hardest on low- and middle-income workers. The Moody’s Analytics report, which a person close to the Trump campaign strongly disputed, is the first that attempts to quantify the cumulative economic benefits and costs of Mr. Trump’s proposals on taxes, trade, immigration and spending. It determines that full adoption of those policies would sharply reduce economic output during his first term and reduce employment by 3.5 million jobs.” [Wall Street Journal, 6/20/16]

Moody’s Concluded That Trump’s Trade And Immigration Policies Would Sharply Boost The Prices Of Labor And Goods And Contribute To A Recession In 2018. “The report singles out trade and immigration policies as the most detrimental to the economy in the short run because they could sharply boost labor and goods prices at a time when there’s less slack in the labor market. ‘It is a massive supply shock to the economy that’s very pernicious, and the Fed doesn’t know how to respond to that,’ said Mr. Zandi. Moody’s concludes that those price pressures would force the central bank to raise interest rates at a faster-than-desired pace, contributing to a recession in 2018 that could produce a 25% drop in the S&P 500.” [Wall Street Journal, 6/20/16]

TRUMP REPEATEDLY CLAIMED AMERICAN WAGES WERE ALREADY “TOO HIGH”

Trump Opposed Raising The Minimum Wage Because: “Wages Too High, We’re Not Going To Be Able To Compete Against The World.” Trump said he wouldn’t raise the minimum wage, and the reason is that America ‘is a country that is being beaten on every front.’ The problem, he said: ‘Taxes too high, wages too high, we’re not going to be able to compete against the world. I hate to say it, but we have to leave it the way it is. People have to go out, they have to work really hard, and they have to get into that upper stratum.’” [The Week, 11/10/15; Republican Primary Debate, Milwaukee WI, 11/10/15]

Trump: “We Have To Become Competitive With The World.  Our Taxes Are Too High, Our Wages Are Too High.  Everything Is Too High.” TRUMP: “But you know what? We have to become competitive with the world.  Our taxes are too high, our wages are too high.  Everything is too high.” [Morning Joe, MSNBC, 11/11/15; The Hill, 11/11/15]

TRUMP PLANS TO ELIMINATE THE ESTATE TAX, WHICH COULD SAVE HIS FAMILY $4 BILLION

HEADLINE: “Trump Pledges To Repeal Estate Tax” [The Hill, 12/5/15]

CNN: Trump’s Family Could Owe $3.997 Billion In Estate Tax. “Donald Trump says that he is worth $10 billion. We’ll go with his numbers, though it is worth pointing out that other estimates put Trump’s net worth around $4.5 billion. Trump falls into the top tax bracket and would owe 40% on his assets above the $5.45 million lifetime exemption, which leaves his estate with a $3.997 billion tax liability. […] So it’s TRUE that 99.8% of Americans would not benefit from the elimination of the estate tax. It is also TRUE that Trump’s family could owe just less than $4 billion in estate taxes if the family does not use any loopholes or exemptions.” [CNN, 9/25/16]

TRUMP’S TAX PLAN WOULD CREATE A NEW LOOPHOLE FOR REAL ESTATE DEVELOPERS, COSTING MORE THAN A TRILLION DOLLARS

New York Times: “It’s Hard To Imagine A Tax Code More Favorable To Real Estate Developers Than The One We Already Have. Donald Trump Has Come Up With One.” [James Stewart, New York Times, 9/1/16]

New York Times: Trump’s Tax Plan “Piles On New [Tax Breaks] For Real Estate Developers Like Mr. Trump Himself — At An Estimated Cost Of More Than $1 Trillion In Tax Revenue Over A Decade.” “Thanks to some major loopholes in the existing tax code that treat real estate developers as a special privileged class, it’s entirely possible (even likely) that Mr. Trump pays little or no federal income tax. But Mr. Trump’s new tax proposal doesn’t just preserve those breaks, it piles on new ones for real estate developers like Mr. Trump himself — at an estimated cost of more than $1 trillion in tax revenue over a decade.” [James Stewart, New York Times, 9/1/16]

Republican Economist Douglas Holtz-Eakin: “If You Want To Create A Recipe For An Abusive Tax Shelter, Take Those Elements And Bake For 15 Minutes.” [James Stewart, New York Times, 9/1/16]

TRUMP (V/O): I’m Donald Trump and I approve this message.  

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HFA Statement on Donald Trump’s Russian Business Interests

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Following reports of Donald Trump’s business dealing in Russia, Hillary for America Deputy Communications Director Christina Reynolds released the following statement:

“Despite his effort to hide his business dealings, we now know that Donald Trump has profited from hundreds of millions of dollars from Russian interests.  These alarming financial ties present a possible motive for his otherwise puzzling pro-Putin policies such as his openness to lifting sanctions against Russia that currently inhibit money making opportunities for corporations like the Trump Organization.  This is precisely what more than fifty national security experts warned against when they called on Trump to disclose and divest his conflict-laden foreign assets that could endanger America’s national security.  Unless Donald Trump immediately details all his business connections with Russia and every other foreign nation, we will never know what is driving his decision making: the interests of the American people or his own bottom line.”

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News Source: ABC News

HFA Response to Report that Trump Foundation Used Charity Money to Settle Legal Problems

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Following a report that Donald Trump used money from the Trump Foundation to settle his legal issues, Hillary for America Deputy Communications Director Christina Reynolds responded with the following statement:

“Clearly the Trump Foundation is as much a charitable organization as Trump University is an institute of higher education. Trump’s version of charity is taking money from others to settle his own legal issues and buy at least two pictures of himself, which experts say is a clear violation of laws governing charitable organizations. Once again, Trump has proven himself a fraud who believes the rules don’t apply to him. It’s past time for him to release his tax returns to show whether his tax issues extend to his own personal finances.”

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News Source: The Washington Post

HFA Statement on Mike Pence Releasing His Tax Returns

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In response to Vice Presidential Candidate Mike Pence’s release of his tax returns, HFA Deputy Communications Director Christina Reynolds said:

“We’re pleased to see that one member of the Trump ticket has decided to meet the long-held threshold for disclosure in a modern day presidential campaign. But it’s Donald Trump – who just this week attacked America’s generals and showered praise on Russia’s authoritarian leader – running to be our next president. Trump has continued to hide behind fake excuses to avoid coming clean with the American people, thumbing his nose at a basic level of transparency practiced by every major party nominee since 1976. As prominent Republicans have speculated, Trump’s returns could reveal further ties to Russia and its oligarchs, the truth about his personal wealth, or more lies about his charitable contributions. But we won’t know until we see them. According to a recent poll, more than than six in 10 Republicans are now asking: what is Trump hiding?”

Last month, Tim Kaine released 10 years of tax returns. On the same day, Hillary Clinton released her 2015 personal tax return, building on the Clintons’ tradition of making their returns public since 1977. You can view both Clinton and Kaine’s returns here.

Considering Trump has released his taxes under audit before, and his actions help determine the speed at which the IRS can complete the audit, why won’t Trump release his tax returns and what is he hiding? Here’s a few theories:

  1. Trump may not be worth the $10 billion that he claims
  2. Trump may pay little to no income tax
  3. Trump is deeply in debt and owes more than a hundred million to a foreign bank
  4. Trump wrongly undervalues his properties to local tax men
  5. Trump is making a “flood of cash” from running for president
  6. Trump is taking tax breaks he shouldn’t
  7. Trump is hiding his lack of charitable donations

Here’s 5 FACTS we know about Trump’s tax returns:

  1. In multiple years in which we know Trump’s tax rate, he paid a rate of 0%
  2. Trump promised millions in charity, but reportedly gave less than $10,000 over a period of 7 years
  3. Trump has accepted a grant intended for small businesses affected by 9/11
  4. Trump has repeated accepted a tax break intended for middle-class people
  5. Trump might not even be undergoing an audit in the first place – and he refuses to present a letter from the IRS, sent to every individual who is audited, to prove it

Prominent Republicans question what Trump is hiding in his tax returns:

George Will: “Perhaps one more reason why we’re not seeing his tax returns is because he is deeply involved in dealing with Russian oligarchs.”

Mitt Romney: “Either he’s not anywhere near as wealthy as he says he is” or “There’s a bombshell in Donald Trump’s taxes.”

Mark Sanford: “I Support You, Donald Trump. Now Release Your Tax Returns.”

Is there ANY way to make Trump release his tax returns?  Last month, Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden and Senate Foreign Relations Committee Member Chris Murphy called for the Senate to vote on their bill, the Presidential Tax Transparency Act, to require presidential nominees to release their tax returns after their conventions.

In the meantime, media, pundits, and Americans across the country continue to challenge Trump to release his tax returns.

New York Times: Letters to the Editor: “Why Won’t Trump Release His Taxes?”

Washington Post Editorial: “Even Mike Pence appears to disagree with Trump on releasing tax returns”

Huffington Post: “Even Donald Trump’s Supporters Are Telling Him To Release His Tax Returns”

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News Source: NPR

HFA Response to Trump Saying Clinton Did Not Look Presidential

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Following comments from Donald Trump suggesting that Hillary Clinton does not look presidential, Hillary for America Deputy Communications Director Christina Reynolds has released the following:

“This isn’t the first time Donald Trump has had a problem looking at someone different from himself and actually seeing them. He questioned whether a distinguished judge could do his job because of his Mexican heritage. He looked at a mourning Gold Star mother and he made assumptions about her silence in grief. He looked at an accomplished anchor and suggested she was a “bimbo.” And he looked at a sitting president and said he wasn’t American. So it’s not surprising that Donald Trump doesn’t think Hillary Clinton looks presidential. This cycle, voters know all too well what’s not presidential: Donald Trump and his narrow views and divisive rhetoric.”

TRUMP LAUNCHED A SERIES OF RACIALLY TINGED ATTACKS ON A FEDERAL JUDGE, SAYING HE COULD NOT DO HIS JOB BECAUSE HE WAS OF MEXICAN HERITAGE

Trump: “He’s A Mexican. We’re Building A Wall Between Here And Mexico… He Is Giving Us Very Unfair Rulings, Rulings That People Can’t Even Believe.” TRUMP: Do you know that these people went to every attorney general practically in the country that they could and did you know this case was turned down by almost every attorney general from Texas to Florida, to many other states?

TAPPER: Is it not — when Hillary Clinton says this is a racist attack, and you reject that — if you’re saying he can’t do his job because of his race, is that not the definition of racism?

TRUMP: No. I don’t think so at all.

TAPPER: No?

TRUMP: No. He’s proud of his heritage. I respect him for that.

TAPPER: But you’re saying you can’t do his job because of that.

TRUMP: Look, he’s proud of his heritage, OK? I’m building a wall. Now, I think I’m going to do very well with Hispanics

TAPPER: He’s a legal citizen – TRUMP: Do you know why I’m going to do well with Hispanics? Because I’m going to bring back jobs and they are going to get jobs right now. They are going to get jobs. I think I’m going to do very well with Hispanics. But we are building a wall. He’s a Mexican. We’re building a wall between here and Mexico. The answer is, he is giving us very unfair rulings, rulings that people can’t even believe. This case should have ended years ago in summary judgment. The best lawyers I have spoken to so many lawyers, they said, this is not a case. This is a case that should have ended. [CNN, The Lead, 6/3/16]

A List of Each Time Trump Attacked Judge Curiel for His Mexican Heritage. Fusion outlined “every time that Trump said that Curiel could not be impartial in the case precisely because of his Mexican heritage.”

TRUMP SUGGESTED GHAZALA KHAN DID NOT SPEAK AT THE CONVENTION BECAUSE SHE WAS NOT ALLOWED TO

Trump Claimed The Mother Of A Fallen Muslim Soldier Did Not Speak At The Democratic Nation Convention Because “Maybe She Wasn’t Allowed To Have Anything To Say, You Tell Me.” “Donald J. Trump belittled the parents of a slain Muslim soldier who had strongly denounced Mr. Trump during the Democratic National Convention, saying that the soldier’s father had delivered the entire speech because his mother was not ‘allowed’ to speak…But, he added, ‘If you look at his wife, she was standing there, she had nothing to say, she probably — maybe she wasn’t allowed to have anything to say, you tell me.’” [New York Times, 7/30/16; This Week, ABC, 7/31/16]

TRUMP SUGGESTED MEGYN KELLY WAS A BIMBO AND RETWEETED A USER WHO CALLED MEGYN KELLY A “BIMBO”

Donald Trump: “I Refuse To Call Megyn Kelly A ‘Bimbo,’ Because That Would Not Be Politically Correct. Instead I Will Only Call Her A Lightweight Reporter!” [@realDonaldTrump, Twitter, 1/27/16]

Donald Trump Retweeted Several People Calling Kelly a “Bimbo:”herehere and here.

TRUMP LED THE BIRTHER CONSPIRACY, AND MAINTAINED HE DIDN’T KNOW WHETHER PRESIDENT OBAMA WAS BORN IN THE US

2015: Trump Said He Didn’t Know Whether President Obama Was Actually Born In The US. “Donald Trump says he’s still not convinced President Obama was born in America, but that he’s not interested in rehashing the issue. ‘I don’t know. I really don’t know,’ the 2016 Republican presidential candidate told CNN when asked on Thursday. ‘I don’t know why he wouldn’t release his records.’” [The Hill, 7/9/15]

USA Today: Trump “Was Perhaps The Most Prominent Voice Of The ‘Birther’ Movement.” “Trump has been an outspoken critic of President Obama and was perhaps the most prominent voice of the ‘birther’ movement, which asserted, erroneously, that Obama was not a natural-born U.S. citizen. On Monday, he took a shot at the newest entrant to the 2016 Republican field, Jeb Bush, tweeting: ‘Do we really need another Bush in the White House — we have had enough of them.’ If there’s one thing Trump brings to the 2016 campaign, it’s confidence. ‘I’m the most successful person ever to run for the presidency, by far,’ he told The Des Moines Register in a recent interview.” [USA Today, 6/16/15]

TRUMP SAID CLINTON DIDN’T “LOOK PRESIDENTIAL”

In an ABC interview, Trump Said Clinton Didn’t Have a Presidential Look. “I just don’t think she has a presidential look. And you need a presidential look. You have to get the job done,” Trump said. [ABC, 9/5/16]

Donald Trump Reportedly Said “Does She [Clinton] Look Presidential, Fellas? Give Me A Break.” “CLEVELAND — TRUMP on Clinton: “Does she look presidential, fellas? Give me a break.”” [Kevin Cirilli, Twitter, 9/5/16]

Trump: “In Effect, She’s Pledging To Abolish The Law Making Powers Of Congress And Assume The Powers Of An Imperial Leader. She’s Not An Imperial Leader, Is She? I Don’t Think So. She Doesn’t Even Look Presidential To Me.” TRUMP: “Beyond that, she’s pledged to add another executive amnesty in violation of both congressional law and the United States constitution. These actions from Hillary Clinton will trigger a crises greater than almost anything we’ve seen. This will be a constitutional crisis like we haven’t seen in our country. In effect, she’s pledging to abolish the law making powers of congress and assume the powers of an imperial leader. She’s not an imperial leader, is she? I don’t think so. She doesn’t even look Presidential to me. She certainly doesn’t.” [Roast N’ Ride, Des Moines IA, 8/27/16]

Trump: “You See Her Walk Onto The State, She Looks Presidential.’ I Don’t Think So. I Think I Look Presidential To Be Honest With You. Honestly, Who Do You Think China Would Be More Concerned In A Negotiation With? Trump Or Hillary?” TRUMP: “These [people] are not like, ‘Oh gee, I think Hillary is so great. She looks so presidential. You see her walk onto the state, she looks presidential.’ I don’t think so. I think I look presidential to be honest with you. Honestly, who do you think China would be more concerned in a negotiation with? Trump or Hillary?” [Trump Campaign Rally, Fort Lauderdale FL, 8/10/16]

Trump Said Hillary Clinton Did Not Look Presidential, But He Did.TRUMP: “Now you tell me she looks presidential, folks. I look presidential. You tell me, you tell me she looks Presidential. They are just watching and they’re looking and boy they’re salivating, they’re salivating, they’re saying that’s what we want, oh, that’s what we want. You know what she did and the lies that she told, over and over again, and her single greatest achievement, because everything she’s touched has turned bad.” [Trump Campaign Rally, Windham NH, 8/6/16]

Trump: “Bad Performance By Crooked Hillary Clinton! Reading Poorly From The Telepromter! She Doesn’t Even Look Presidential!” [@realDonaldTrump, Twitter, 6/2/16]

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Clinton Endorsed by former Bush Administration Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense

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Hillary Clinton received the endorsement of James Clad, the former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for President George W. Bush. In a statement, he called on Republicans and Democrats alike to recognize the important of the election and the implications on national security it could have. A copy of Clad’s statement is below.

“Secretary Clinton has demonstrated her skills as Secretary of State, especially but by no means exclusively in helping other Asian countries counter Chinese bullying in the western Pacific.

For Republicans and Democrats alike, everything in national security requires clarity and steadiness, whether managing nuclear weapons or balancing great power rivalries. Never losing sight of the national interest is key – a discipline which Secretary Clinton possesses in full measure.

Our adversaries must never hear flippancy or ignorance in America’s voice. They should never take satisfaction from an incompetent president. Giving an incoherent amateur the keys to the White House this November will doom us to second or third class status.

In my career, I’ve seen close-up what happens when American reliability falters. It’s not pretty, for us or for the world. There is no choice: In razor sharp contrast to her opponent, Secretary Clinton is ready, steady and prepared. With a proven preference for bipartisanship, she must win this election.”

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