The Mystery Deepens . . . Who is Harry Reid’s Secret Source?
Posted: August 10, 2012 Filed under: 2012 presidential campaign, Mitt Romney, U.S. Politics | Tags: Greg Sargent, Harry Reid, internet rumors, Jon Huntsman Jr., Jon Huntsman Sr., Joseph Cannon, Romney's tax returns, unnamed sources 22 Comments
Jon Huntsman Sr.
It’s been ten days since Harry Reid first revealed that an unnamed Bain investor told him that Mitt Romney had paid no taxes for a decade. Reid has been attacked by all and sundry–called a “dirty liar” by RNC Chair Reince Priebus, awarded four Pinocchios by WaPo “fact checker” Glenn Kessler, and repeatedly denounced by Romney himself.
Others have tried to figure out who Reid’s mysterious source is. Joseph Cannon has been on the case for awhile now. On Sunday, Cannon hypothesized that the source could have been former presidential candidate Jon Huntsman. Since then, Cannon has written several more follow-up posts.
Then yesterday, Markos at Dailykos suggested the source could be Jon Huntsman Sr.
Jon Huntsman Sr, is business partners with Robert C. Gay, who also happened to be Bain’s managing director between 1989 and 2004. And if anyone knows the machinations Bain used to evade taxes for itself and its partners, well, it would be the guy in charge of the firm’s finances.
Huntsman is also a Republican and a Mormon (like Harry Reid). As governor of next-door Utah, his son (who also served in the Obama administration as ambassador to China) likely developed a close working relationship on regional issues.
Kos also listed a number of donations from Huntsman family members to the Nevada Democratic Party. In a follow-up post today, Kos argued that Reid could be hoping to tempt his source into going public by dribbling out more hints day by day.
This afternoon, Greg Sargent contacted the elder Huntsman and asked him about all the rumors and speculation that he was Harry Reid’s source. Alas, Huntman denied it.
The internet is alive with speculation that the secret source Harry Reid claims to have on Mitt Romney’s tax returns is Utah industrialist Jon Huntsman Sr. He is the founder of Hunstman Corporation and the father of the former GOP presidential candidate — and the speculation is based on the fact that his profile fits with much of what we publicly know about Reid’s presumed confidante.
But I just got off the phone with Huntsman, and he confirmed to me that he is not Reid’s source.
But Huntsman did go on the record about Romney’s refusal to release his tax returns.
Huntsman forcefully called on Romney to release his tax returns. This matters, because Huntsman is a longtime backer of Romney — he has long been close to Romney; he supported his early campaigns; he was the national finance chairman of Romney’s 2008 presidential campaign; and he has raised a lot of money for him over the years. (He backed his own son in the latest GOP primary.)
“I feel very badly that Mitt won’t release his taxes and won’t be fair with the American people,” Huntsman told me. In a reference to Romney’s father, who pioneered the release of returns as a presidential candidate, Huntsman said: “I loved George. He always said, pay your taxes for at least 10 or 12 years.” (See update below.)
“Mr. Romney ought to square with the American people and release his taxes like any other candidate,” Huntsman said. “I’ve supported Mitt all along. I wish him well. But I do think he should release his income taxes.”
Well, that’s interesting and useful. This should keep the talk about Romney’s taxes alive through another weekend and another round of Sunday shows.
But the question remains: who *is* Reid’s secret source?
And here’s another burning question: Does Mitt Romney have a silly walk?
peej
Carissa
bostonboomer
ecocatwoman
mablue2
peggysue22
quixote
skydancingguestblogger
Mona (aka Wonk the Vote)
Sky Dancing 
O/T: We have just been hit with another tornado warning here in Western MA.
Oh no! There are lots of dark clouds here, but no rain yet. Stay safe, Pat!
How does a man walk while wearing a girdle? Or is it the Mormon underwear?
I’ve been reading and trying to keep up about the source on harry / Cannon, I admit I am really confused. I was having trouble folling cannon’s last post. Maybe someone could help me.
But can someone tell me if the Democrats (Obama) are trying to throw their best platform issue ( Social Security, Medicare) out the window for being a democrat. Erskine Bowles, really?
http://news.firedoglake.com/2012/08/10/erskine-bowles-to-treasury-rumor-picks-up-steam/
I still think it’s odd McCain says nothing.
I think so too, Dak. It’s just a little Friday night fun to speculate on other possibilities. I love a mystery.
I was replying to you ( Dak ) saying you think it is McCain. I think it’s probably McCain or someone in his 2008 campaign who has seen Romney’s tax returns. No love lost there.
New Priorities USA Bain ad
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oM7SpCAPEs&feature=player_embedded
HT/ suzie Suburban Guerrilla.
Steve Young?
Gary Crittenden?
Some Interwebs info on Crittenden has been scrubbed. Oh, shades of 2008! Pass the Jiffy Pop.
Hey, there are two nice-looking young men in short-sleeved white shirts and ties knocking on my front door. Better go answer it. BBL. 🙂
I don’t know who that is. I will google.
Were those young men Mormon missionaries?
That kind of sounds like a non-denial denial. If he really wanted to distance himself from the story, then why go into a dissertation on Romney’s tax returns? He could have just denied it and left it at that.
Breitbart claims they have “sources” that say Jon Huntsman Jr. will speak at the Democratic Convention.
That would be very interesting and generate more than a little centrist publicity.
Yup, I knew you wrote about all this Huntsman spec. Damn you are so good BB!
If you read the Sargent piece, Huntsman denies being Reid’s source pretty vehemently.
Lying for the Lord, BB. Sometimes it has to be done.
I know, but he also kept the story going at the same time. If I were being hounded over something I didn’t do, personally I’d try to shut the story down, no matter how strongly I felt about the actual issue, to throw suspicion off myself. Even Sargent pointed out, “But the real story is now” Huntsman’s strong stance on the tax returns, pushing the whodunit to the backburner for the time being.
Seriously,
That’s true. Maybe Huntsman pass the word to Reid through a third party? That way he’d have deniability.