Horserace
March 25, 2008 1:41 PM

Obama Releases Seven Years Of Tax Returns

By
Vaughn Ververs
Topics
Barack Obama
The Obama campaign announced this afternoon it has posted the candidate's tax returns on its Web site and challenges Clinton to do the same.

"The returns are complete, including all schedules, and are now available to anyone to view," the campaign announced in a statement. "The Obama campaign urged Senator Clinton to join Senator Obama in making her returns public. Full disclosure on Senator Clinton's part is especially important because she recently loaned $5 million to her campaign, shortly after revelations surfaced that her husband was to receive a $20 million payout from Yucaipa, a supermarket holding company that invests in tax shelters in the Cayman Islands."

As for some highlights, the Obama and his wife Michelle reported joint income of $991,296 in 2006 (the most recent year released) which included $430,700 in salaries and $506,618 in reported business income. In 2005, their income was $1,670,995 – a huge jump from 2004, when the couple reported earning $207,342. One interesting note, in 2006, the couple reported donating $60,307 to charity, including $22,500 to the Trinity United Church of Christ.

The CBS News political unit provides a look at some of the numbers from the returns:

  • 2006: Joint income totaled $991,296 (includes $430,700 combined salaries; $506,618 business income and $51,200 from Treehouse Foods, where Michelle sat on the corporate board). Breakdowns of the above numbers aren't immediately available. Also, the couple donated $60,307 to charity (includes $22,500 to Trinity United Church of Christ; $15,000 to CARE; $13,107 to the Congressional Black Caucus; $5,000 to Muntu Theatre and $4,700 to miscellaneous charities)

  • 2005: Joint income totaled $1,670,995 (includes $154,047 for B. Obama's Senate salary; $316,962 for Michelle's University of Chicago Hospital salary; $874,167 from Random House; $335,206 from Dystel & Goodrich and $45,000 in "other income" from Treehouse Foods and Bay Valley Foods, where Michelle sat on the corporate board). They gave $77,315 to charity (includes $5,000 to Trinity Church of Christ; $11,315 to misc. charities; $25,000 to Illinois Reading Council; $20,500 to Rochelle Lee Fund and $16,000 to CARE)

  • 2004: Joint income totaled $207,342 (includes $32,144 to B. Obama from University of Chicago; $53,288 state senator salary and $121,910 for Michelle's University of Chicago Hospital salary). The couple gave $2,500 in miscellaneous charity contributions.

  • 2003: Joint income totaled $238,327 (includes $64,287 to Barack from University of Chicago; $58,151 state senator salary, and $115,889 for Michelle's University of Chicago Hospital salary). They gave $3,400 to miscellaneous charities.

  • 2002: Joint income totaled $226,300 (includes $69,287 to Barack from University of Chicago; $58,187 state senator salary and $98,826 for Michelle's University of Chicago Hospital salary). The couple gave $1,050 to miscellaneous charities.

  • 2001: Joint income totaled $176,965 (no breakdown provided on salary, however this includes $98,158 in "business income" B. Obama reported from side work as an attorney). They gave $1,470 to miscellaneous charities.

  • 2000: Joint income totaled $212,999 (no breakdown provided on salary, however this includes $16,500 in "business income" B. Obama reported from side work as "foundation director/educational speaker"). They gave $2,350 to miscellaneous charities.
  • Add a Comment See all 30 Comments
    by xsxc March 27, 2008 10:46 AM EDT
    The Clinton''s has a fraud case in process--This is one more thing they are hiding.

    Below is the case number of the actual case against Bill and Hillary Clinton for campaign finance fraud. The mainstream media has been blocking this information from all of their blogs and forums.

    Also, they refuse to print any information about this case. The Clintons and company are being brought up on charges of fraudulently taking money from Peter F. Paul. They bilk this guy out of nearly 2.0 million dollars total, but he pursuing restitution for 1.2 million dollars.

    This is very real. I have provided a link to the case so that you can see it for yourself. Please pass this on to everyone you know. I hope that this email gets to the people in Pennsylvania before their primary election.

    Notice that the case is scheduled for hearing THREE days after the Pennsylvania primary. This is what the Clintons don%u2019t want us to know.

    Hillary Clinton is really trying to dope us into thinking that she is honest and she really cares about Americans.

    www.lasuperiorcourt.org

    Choose Civil - then Case Summary - type in the Case Number BC304174
    Reply to this comment
    by fathat2 March 27, 2008 2:15 AM EDT
    Mr.Obama is a lair and needs to stop with the sticks and stones!Mr. Obama give the raceist Chruch over $22,000 dollars to hate more people!Obama a liar
    Reply to this comment
    by sosoe-2009 March 26, 2008 9:02 PM EDT
    Where the he## are Hell-ery''s tax returns? She''s stalling for time so she, Slick Willie, and her staff, can "dummy" them up!! She made a big deal when she ran in New York, because her opponent hadn''t released his returns!! She''s too busy "doggin" Barack to "right-winged" newspapers! Her priorities and her character are all fuc###-up!! And , so what! if Barack gave to the Black Caucus!!White people give to their causes ALL The Time!! We would''nt need a Black Caucus, if America wasn''t so racist!!! At least he wasn''t "sucking up" to Lobbyist like Hell-ery and McCain!!
    Reply to this comment
    by infidel_us March 26, 2008 4:33 PM EDT
    Do you have anything of value to post or just your usual juvenile drivel?
    Posted by taddles at 12:08 PM : Mar 26, 2008

    You first
    Reply to this comment
    by mjvw2 March 26, 2008 4:23 PM EDT
    "$13,107 to the Congressional Black Caucus"

    Now theres a charity. What ***.
    Reply to this comment
    by taddles-2009 March 26, 2008 3:10 PM EDT
    "Less than 1% of a 200,000 income is shameful in my opinion. Character can defined by what a person does when no one is looking. Only when he becomes a national figure does he begin giving in a meaningful way.

    Posted by gregncat at 12:06 PM : Mar 26, 2008"


    When his income has allowed him to give more he has.
    Reply to this comment
    by taddles-2009 March 26, 2008 3:08 PM EDT
    "I see the Ubama arse lickers are out in force today. Has Wal-Mart given ya''''ll they day off???

    Posted by Infidel_Us at 12:02 PM : Mar 26, 2008"

    Do you have anything of value to post or just your usual juvenile drivel?
    Reply to this comment
    by taddles-2009 March 26, 2008 3:07 PM EDT
    "Unbelievable...Obama has smeared Hillary for not making her tax return public for weeks and come to find out he''''s just releasing his.

    Posted by truth-hurts at 02:19 AM : Mar 26, 2008"


    Obama''s tax returns have been out for a while. This release is just a list of all of his tax returns for the past 7 years.
    Reply to this comment
    by gregncat March 26, 2008 3:06 PM EDT
    mrvolleyba11, why are you so angry. Anyone is entitled to give what ever they want to charity. But, I am tired of rich democrats who insist that government is the answer to everything but do not feel like they need to help out with their own money. I need them to demonstrate with their actions that they really do care about all of the issues they speak of. Less than 1% of a 200,000 income is shameful in my opinion. Character can defined by what a person does when no one is looking. Only when he becomes a national figure does he begin giving in a meaningful way.
    Reply to this comment
    by infidel_us March 26, 2008 3:02 PM EDT
    I see the Ubama arse lickers are out in force today. Has Wal-Mart given ya''ll they day off???
    Reply to this comment
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