Harry Reid says Romney is worth "a lot more" than $250 million

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

In Rachel Maddow's show last night, she quoted Harry Reid's statements about a telephone call he received about one month ago from a prominent Bain investor. Not only did Reid talk about their discussion of Romney's failure to pay taxes over a ten year period, but he seemed very confident that Romney is worth a lot more than the often speculated sum of $250 million.

"You guys have said his wealth is $250 million dollars", Reid went on. "Not a chance in the world. It's a lot more than that."

You can see it at the 4:13 mark of the tape from last night's show, below.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/ns/msnbc_tv-rachel_maddow_show/#48497159

Could Romney actually be a billionaire? Would the "B" word, if true, further change the way the American people look at Romney?

[Major Nikon]

1. I think the implications of our nation's tax policy speaks even louder here

When someone like Rmoney pays very little to zero taxes, their wealth can grow exponentially faster than someone who is burdened by a 35-50% tax liability.

I think it's quite funny that those who are Republicans because they are rich wannabes don't realize that the deck is inherently stacked pretty highly against them, by the very political party they support.

[grasswire]

2. drip drip drip

Harry can probably keep this up for a long time.

[monmouth]

3. I doubt Harry would accuse or ask any question without already knowing the answer. Harry knows..n/t

[hughee99]

17. So you're saying Harry has obtained access to Mitten's financial records and tax returns? n/t

[monmouth]

18. Where did I say that? n/t

[hughee99]

21. So Harry's never seen either, but he knows what's on them?

Harry has put a lot of faith in someone else's word, or he's seen the docs. That's about the only two ways I can see where he'd be sure what's on them.

[Marcia Brady]

4. I know NOTHING about investing--

--but is it common knowledge to investors how much a CEO pays in taxes? Does tax payment have to be disclosed on any documents available to investors?

[kestrel91316]

5. I have suspected as much for quite a while. I bet he's a billionaire.

AND I bet he has paid virtually ZERO income taxes for over a decade.

[lunatica]

6. Millionaire or Billionaire the Romeny's are still the 1%

It's not the money they have that makes them the odious 1%. It's how they got it and what they think of us that makes them the enemy of this country.

[EvolveOrConvolve]

7. I grew up in the Mormon church, so I have some insight here

The power players in the Mormon church are a small and tight-knit group. They're very insular and don't talk publicly about the other members of the club so the fact that Reid is talking about a fellow club member is illuminating. It's very much a "protect our own" kind of group, and the members tend to know intimate details about the other members and their financial/personal/family situations. If anyone were to know insider information about Romney, it's Reid.

I just hope Reid doesn't get any blow back from the church over attacking their hero. There's a lot of pressure that could be brought to bear on Reid if the church decides he isn't playing the game by their playbook. Shunning, shaming, loss of status or stature, censure, financial penalties (in the form of smaller donations to his campaigns), etc.

I'm just wondering how bad Romney's got to be, behind the scenes, to prompt Reid to go Rambo on him. A scary thought, for sure, if even other LDS'ers can't stomach him.

[jwirr]

10. My guess is that Reid is not the only one of the insiders who is willing to take him on. I do not

think that he is taking rMoney on alone. This campaign is not making anyone love the Mormon's anymore and they know it.

[BSUbluNorange]

11. No way Reid gets blow back from church

We'd have some really pissed off lds dems. The church itself stays out of this stuff and the entire Reid family are great members.

[YOHABLO]

20. '' if even other LDS'ers can't stomach him.''

I think that statement carries a lot of weight. Perhaps many LDSers don't consider him "one of us". The "church" hierarchy love his $$$ contributions .. so they're not rocking the boat.

[OffWithTheirHeads]

8. Not to me.

[flamingdem]

9. Don't evuh stop Harry

you are the CHAMP!

[Ruby the Liberal]

12. Well, look at the math.

$100mm in a trust for his spawn.
$100mm in an IRA (deferred)

He made $22mm of taxable income in 2010 - on $50mm?

Quite an ROI.

[dtom67]

13. He's right...

And I think you are right as well.

If the Media were to label Romney as " Billionaire Republican candidate Mitt Romney ", that would hurt him.

I won't hold my breath, however.

[crimson77]

27. Billionaire Playboy philanthropist Tony Stark would get some votes

Billonaire mormon Grandpa, not so much.

[LongTomH]

14. Since most of his wealth is hidden offshore, he could be worth much more than a billion!

Reid needs to keep digging on this!

[madrchsod]

15. if party stays with romney the undecided voters and moderate republicans....

will vote for obama leaving the republican party in shambles.

there`s a shit load of undecided and what`s left of the moderate republicans that know romney is`t presidential material.

[amerciti001]

16. I've already came to that conclusion...

in some of my past posts at different forums, finally the word is starting to get out that Mitt Rmoney is actually hiding the fact that he is really a "Billionaire" and is trying to -fool- (deceive), the entire Nation into thinking that he is just a mere "Millionaire".

[kitt6]

19. And all from destroying American Jobs.

Outsourcing is lucrative!: smoke:

[clangsnwhoops]

22. Convention protests

I think we need peaceful protests at the Republican convention both inside and outside the arena,especially during the big speeches. We can't let their lies go unanswered.

[DJFrey]

23. Memo to Harry Reid:

No source for attribution, no story.

[CarmanK]

26. He has the source, that is what is so frightening to the GOP!

harry Reid sat on the story for over a month, giving Romney plenty of time to release his tax returns and he did not. and don't forget there is a reporter that substantiates Harry's story with her anonymous source.

[Jamaal510]

24. Mitt R0bme might have over $250M,

but he's still worthless in my book.

[CarmanK]

25. It makes sense, Romney has a $100 mn in an IRA and each kid has multi $mn trust fund.

You can be Harry Reid is right on about Romney's declared and hidden wealth. He has money hidden off shore to keep it out of the public scrutiny. Romney should at least be willing to release the tax return he says was audited by the IRS. Surely, they did not find any discrepancies! But then again, in 2009, the IRS audited 15% of millionaires tax returns and discovered $5 bn in underpayments. So, I would say that Harry's odds for being right are 99.9%, with .1% benefit of the doubt.

[Quantess]

28. I love how Harry Reid won't stop taunting him.

This is the behavior that the republicans established. Now it's payback time.

[vinny9698]

29. We don't pay taxes. Only the little people pay taxes," billionaire hotelier Leona Helmsley

That is their view, and the 1% would think Mitt to be a very bad business man if he had paid any taxes. I, as a billionaire, would not do business with such a twit. What pay taxes? Not with my money.