California Dem: That Harry Reid is Really on to Something...

A Democratic congressman said on MSNBC last night that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) is really on to something in his accusations that Mitt Romney hasn’t paid taxes.

“I think Harry Reid is on to it,” said Rep. John Garamendi (D-Calif.), former lieutenant governor. “What’s really, really important here is that we understand how Romney views tax policy. Those tax returns will tell us exactly how he views tax policy. We need to know that because after all, he wants to be president. He will sign tax bills. Are those the tax bills that will send jobs offshore? Hide money, avoid taxes, use every loophole possible? Or even increase those loopholes?”

“I mean, why shouldn’t we believe Harry Reid?” said host Ed Schultz.

“Well, absolutely the case. The issue before him is not Harry Reid that we’re talking about here,” Garamendi said. “We’re talking about a man that wants to be the next president. Show us your taxes so that we can see how you look at tax policy. Are you all for reducing your taxes at every conceivable way even though you’re a multimillionaire?”

The congressman said Democrats “certainly ought to ride” the tax return issue through the election. “We already know he has secret accounts in the Bahamas and in Switzerland. What’s that all about? How much money is he really stashing away there? How much in tax income is he avoiding?”

Former New Hampshire Gov. John Sununu (R) said on Fox Business yesterday that the tax return issue is a class-warfare effort and a distraction.

“And it’s typical of what they do all the time,” Sununu said. “They did that kind of stuff to Hillary Clinton. They tried to do it to John McCain. They did it to Sarah Palin. This is a slimy, smarmy group that runs dirty campaigns, and they’re in the process of doing it now.”

“Harry Reid is lying. Harry Reid has a history of lying and Harry Reid has a history of incompetence,” Sununu added. “But the most important thing is, what is President Obama doing about it? He’s just sitting there, enjoying the mischief that his campaign has started.”