White House demands reporters ignore GOP tax hike on working families

The Trump administration wants reporters to ignore the parts of the Republicans’ tax scheme that would raise taxes on working families to give tax cuts to millionaires and billionaires.

At Thursday’s White House press briefing, Gary Cohn, the director of the National Economic Council, made it clear that the administration wants these inconvenient facts to remain uncovered.

Cohn was asked repeatedly about how Donald Trump and his family would especially benefit from this tax scheme.

“So how can he say that this is not a plan that would help him?” one reporter asked.

“I think what the American people are concerned about is their financial position,” was Cohn’s non-answer.

Asked whether Trump would release his tax returns to prove that he would not personally benefit, Cohn replied, “Like I said, what we’re trying to do here, and what we’re all working on in the White House, is to increase the lifestyle of American citizens.”

Reporters continued to press the question. “This tax plan as it stands now appears that it will benefit the president and his family,” another said. “Why not just be candid about that?”

“Look, I’ve told you it will benefit the middle class,” Cohn insisted.

Trump and his family stand to rake in $4 billion they would otherwise have to pay in taxes. Instead of addressing the question, Cohn stuck to his talking points and then finally told reporters to simply ignore the details of the plan altogether.

COHN: You have to look at this plan in its entirety. The one thing I beg you all to do is don’t look at any one piece. Look at the plan in its entirety. That’s how we’re looking at tax reform. We’re looking at it in its entirety.

The duck and cover on the tax hike comes as Democrats have blasted the idea.

In a statement, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren said, “While the plan slashes the income tax rate for the highest earners, it actually increases the income tax rate that applies to many working families.” She also pointed out that if enacted into  law, it would “lead Republicans to turn around and say we need to gut Medicaid, Medicare, and investments in infrastructure, research, and education.”

Cohn and the rest of the Trump administration have made it clear they do not want these facts to come out, even as Americans reject tax giveaways to Trump and others with his level of wealth.

They do not want journalists reporting on these inconvenient details, and are demanding they be covered up.