Bentley addresses Romney financials, calls report misleading
Published 9:12 pm Sunday, July 15, 2012
Saturday, during a trip to Williamsburg, VA., Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley responded to an Associated Press report that said he called on Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney to release financial documents.
The report further stated Bentley suggested that by not releasing various documents, a person might have something to hide.
According to a release from the governor’s office, Bentley was asked by a reporter at the National Governors Association conference whether he thought Romney should release tax returns. Bentley said yes – adding that he believes in transparency and releases his own tax returns each year. The report reads, “contrary to the AP report, Governor Bentley did not call on Romney to release ‘all documents requested of him.’ The Governor was responding to whether tax returns should be released, and he said yes.”
“I believe my comments were taken out of context,” Bentley said. “They were not reported in their entirety, and I want to make sure the record is set straight. I believe in transparency, and that was the basis for my answer. I personally choose to release my own returns each year, and there was no effort to imply that Mr. Romney has anything to hide.”
Bentley went on to reaffirm his support for Romney in the upcoming presidential decision, citing Democrats as the driving force behind questions surrounding the presidential nominee’s financial affairs.
“While I believe in total transparency, I also believe much of the rhetoric surrounding Mitt Romney’s personal finances is nothing more than an attempt by Democrats to distract from the real issues of the presidential campaign,” Bentley said. “The real issues are the economy, employment, and getting America back on the right track. I fully support Mitt Romney and his vision for our country, and I will do everything I can to help get him elected.”