As Election Day approaches, vice presidential candidate Sen. J.D. Vance has yet to release his tax returns despite continued requests from voters.
By trying to hide his conflicts of interest, Sen. Vance is taking a page straight out of Donald Trump’s playbook. Like Sen. Vance, Trump promised During his campaign, he asked for his tax returns to be released, but he refused, starting a years-long legal battle before the House finally released the records.
Now, Senator Vance is doing the same thing. At an election rally exactly two years ago, he said“I have to release my tax returns, but that’s okay.” I’m not going to complain about that because I think that’s an important part of transparency. ” Instead of complaining, he avoided it entirely and released only one tax return, while his opponent, Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz, has released 15 years of tax returns. refuses to do so.
This leaves us with the pressing question: what is Vance hiding?
We partnered with Rural Organizing to launch a mobile billboard truck during the vice presidential debate to ask Senator Vance that very question.
In his relatively short political career, Senator Vance argued Although it is a story of “from poor to rich”, there are holes in his story. In his book Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in CrisisSenator Vance paints a picture of a “culture in crisis” and blames rural communities for the opioid crisis. However, he did not disclose his connections as a lawyer for a lobbying firm hired by Purdue Pharma, the maker of OxyContin.
Senator Vance is trying to deceive ordinary Americans. He thinks he is “self-made” when in reality his career is funded by special interests and the wealthy. And his political rise was not funded by grassroots efforts, but rather by far-right tech billionaire Peter Thiel, who denied the 2020 election, and dark money.
Mr. Thiel, a billionaire, is believed to be responsible for major developments in Sen. Vance’s career. That included $15 million to help Vance land his first “venture capitalist” job and get him elected to the U.S. Senate, the largest amount ever for a Senate candidate. This includes donating an astonishing amount of money. We will return in 2022.
What else is not known about Senator Vance’s financial situation and potential conflicts of interest?
It is common for presidential candidates and vice presidential candidates to release their tax returns, with Vice President Mike Pence, Vice President Kamala Harris, and President Joe Biden all doing so while vice presidents. Senator Vance needs to keep his word and show us his tax returns, as many candidates have done before him.
VOthers need transparency in the lead-up to Election Day. We need to keep up the pressure on Senator Vance to release his tax returns now. There are three ways to take action:
- Sign the petition: moveon.org/Vance
- Spread the word by sharing the post exposing Sen. J.D. Vance with your friends, family, and neighbors. Instagram, Twitterand facebook.
- Download, print, and display these posters condemning Sen. Vance’s withheld tax returns.
