Bernie Sanders caused some brouhaha Monday on two fronts. First over information in his tax returns and second by appearing in a Fox News Town Hall.
Sanders released his last 10 tax returns, revealing he is part of the 1% that he so often rails against. The AP reports:
The returns provide a more detailed look at Sanders’ finances than when he ran for president in 2016. The release also confirms that Sanders’ income crossed the $1 million threshold in 2016 and 2017, though he reported less earnings in his most recent return.
His 2018 return reveals that he and his wife, Jane, earned more than $550,000, including $133,000 in income from his Senate salary and $391,000 in sales of his book, “Our Revolution: A Future to Believe In.” Sanders’ campaign said in a news release that he paid 26% effective tax rate in 2018.
Sanders has been getting some flack for being a millionaire and only paying 26% in taxes when, as he said on Fox News last night, he thinks Americans should be taxed at a rate around 52%. After Fox’s Martha MacCallum questioned him about this, he snapped back:
“Pfft, come on. I paid the taxes that I owe… Why don’t you get Donald Trump up here and ask him how much he pays in taxes?”
“Hey, President Trump, my wife and I just released 10 years. Please do the same. Let the American people know.”
As for Sanders appearance on Fox News, he was initially criticized for choosing to appear on the network, but in the end, many political analysts are praising the move. Politico wrote, “Bernie Sanders entered the Fox’s den on Monday night — and he not only survived the hour-long encounter, but often dominated.” Vox remarked, ” in the same way that one might win a debate — but not a typical town hall — he won.”
Bernie Sanders spent more than 2 minutes of his Fox News town hall to defend Medicare for All and attack Trump’s Medicare plans — uninterrupted. Not sure I’ve seen that happen on Fox News before. pic.twitter.com/kuONJdbcB3
— Dan Diamond (@ddiamond) April 16, 2019
Watch the town hall above.