Trump "puts his name on buildings": Sen. Tom Cotton's absurd excuse for Trump's hidden tax returns

Arkansas voters voiced their displeasure with a hail of boos directed at Republican Senator Tom Cotton after he offered up weak excuses for why Donald Trump will not release his tax returns.

Cotton was asked by a voter if he would “take the initiative” in pushing to have Trump’s returns released so “we can see what kinds of connections he has with different countries around the world.” In response, Cotton parroted Trump’s excuse that his returns are “under audit,” but that unverified claim does not prevent Trump from releasing his return as every president and presidential candidate has done for over 40 years, according to the IRS.

Cotton compounded his cover-up by claiming that Trump’s overseas financial connections are clear because “it doesn’t take a lot of effort to find out where Donald Trump has connections overseas, he normally puts his names on buildings.” The audience clearly did not think Cotton’s excuses passed the smell test, and booed him for perpetuating his fellow Republican’s ongoing cover-up.

Rowdy town hall erupts with boos — Tom Cotton shouted down for defending Trump on not releasing his tax returns pic.twitter.com/zo5TW3J0dD

— Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) April 17, 2017

MAN: Yes, my question is, you in Congress and the Senate have the power to subpoena these tax returns. The president said during the campaign that he would not release the tax returns while he was under audit. Now he says the election has happened and he doesn’t need to release his tax returns. I’m wondering if you’ll take the initiative to have him release those returns so that we can say what kinds of connections he has with different countries form around the world and what tax proposals would personally benefit him and his —

COTTON: As far as I’m aware the president says he’s still under audit. The president’s also right that this was not a secondary or side interest to the campaign, this was a central issue to the campaign. Hillary Clinton and her campaign repeatedly criticized President Trump and he won despite all this. As far as your points about his relationships overseas? I’ll just make two replies: First, every federal officeholder, every candidate for office files a financial disclosure statement. It shows your assets, your liabilities. And second, it doesn’t take a lot of effort to find out where Donald Trump has connections overseas, he normally puts his names on buildings.

Tens of thousands gathered on April 15 for the Tax March in D.C. and other cities throughout the country to raise awareness of Trump’s break with tradition, and to demand that he stop stonewalling on this key issue. Trump and his family are engaged in a pattern of corruption using the Oval Office, and his insistence on hiding his taxes are a major component of that.

And putting his name on hotels does nothing whatsoever to compensate for his utter lack of transparency.