Lobbying

WH won’t criticize Reid’s claims about Romney’s taxes

by Jordan Fabian - 04/01/15 2:50 PM ET

The White House on Wednesday declined to criticize Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) for suggesting during the 2012 campaign that Mitt Romney did not pay his taxes.

“Obviously, Sen. Reid is somebody is going to decide for himself about what he says on the Senate floor,” press secretary Josh Earnest told reporters.

{mosads}Earnest was asked by a Fox News reporter why he would not condemn Reid’s comments, given that the president spoke out this week for bipartisanship and civility in politics.

Earnest said he would not weigh in on “something that’s three years old.”

Reid said in an interview with CNN this week he did not regret accusing Romney of not paying taxes.

“No, I don’t regret that,” Reid said. “No one would help me. They were afraid the Koch brothers would go after them. So I did it on my own.

“Romney didn’t win, did he?” Reid added.

Reid has received heavy criticism for his attacks on Romney’s tax records, because he refused to provide evidence or the original source of his claims.

Tags Harry Reid