House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who has called on Mitt Romney to release additional years of his tax returns, told reporters that she will only release her own returns if she runs for president.
“I said I think he should release his tax returns. That is the custom for people running for president. And why wouldn’t you?” Pelosi said Thursday at the Capitol.
“A person has decided that they want to run for president of the United States — a tradition that was honored by this same person’s father. Now, I’m not here — this is not important to me, let me say this,” Pelosi said. “The discussion about what the Republicans and how they deal with their nominee as to whether he should release — that’s really up to them.”
Pelosi added: “If asked, do I think he should release them, fine and I said to you last week, when I run for — did — was it here or another meeting — when I run for president of the United States, you can hold me to that standard.” (RELATED: Pelosi made between $1-5 million on Asian investments in 2011)
House Speaker John Boehner called the issue a “sideshow” and said his own tax returns are private.
“I have never released my tax returns. That’s my private business, just like it’s your own private business,” Boehner said at the Capitol Thursday.
Boehner was then asked, “Why should the standard be different for a presidential candidate?”
“It shouldn’t be. It’s a sideshow. It’s — that’s all it is,” Boehner responded. “The American people are asking the question, where are the jobs. They’re not asking, where are the tax returns. And it’s a sideshow created because the president can’t talk about his record. He can’t go out on run on his record, so he’s got to create these sideshows to try to distract the American people from the real issue that they’re concerned about.”
Romney has released his 2010 and 2011 returns. Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain, who ran against Obama in 2008, also released two years of his tax returns.