Yesterday, Republican vice presidential candidate Mike Pence announced he plans to release his tax returns before the election.  The media’s response to the news was to ask the following questions of Donald Trump surrogates and their pundits.

Does this put more pressure on Donald Trump to release his own returns?

Do you think Pence cleared this with the Trump campaign or is this an instance of his “going rogue?”

Is Trump making a calculated decision that not releasing his returns is less damaging than what might be disclosed in them?

Is releasing tax returns more important to the media and Washington insiders than it is to voters?

In response, Trump surrogates reverted to the party line.  Release of the tax returns was dependent on completion of the IRS audit.  That being said, one CNN anchor asked, “Does that prohibit him from at least sharing his effective tax rate and his level of charitable giving?”  The interviewee answered with his own question, “What if those change based on the audit?”  He then suggested if only the IRS would “fast-track” the audit, the issue would be resolved. Both of these assertions went unchallenged.

Again, I believe the media were negligent in their coverage of this issue.  The follow-up questions should have been:

Does it matter if the numbers change based on the audit?

Should we not be more interested in what the candidate himself CLAIMS under penalty of law are his income, charitable donations, deductions and tax liability?

If the IRS challenges any of these declarations, how do you think Donald Trump will respond?  I think I know, but that is not important.  The issue in this electoral cycle is not just who becomes president or which party controls Congress.  Equally important is the question whether print and broadcast journalists have abdicated their public duty to not only question and nod, but to question and question and question.

For what it’s worth.
Dr. ESP