Romney: My Mormon tithing should be private

Mitt Romney leaves the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after services on Sunday, Aug. 19, 2012 in Wolefboro, N.H.

/ AP Photo/Evan Vucci

(CBS News) Mitt Romney told Parade Magazine that part of the reason he does not want to release more of this tax returns is that he believes his tithing to the Mormon Church is a private matter, the Salt Lake Tribune reports.

"Our church doesn't publish how much people have given," Romney is reportedly quoted as saying in the forthcoming edition of Parade. "This is done entirely privately. One of the downsides of releasing one's financial information is that this is now all public, but we had never intended our contributions to be known. It's a very personal thing between ourselves and our commitment to our God and to our church."

Despite strong pressure from Democrats, Romney has released only his 2010 tax returns and an estimate of his 2011 returns. Over those two years, Romney and his wife Ann gave more than $4 million to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as the Mormon Church, on slightly more than $40 million in income. Mormons in good standing are expected to donate, or tithe, at least 10 percent of their yearly income to the church.

In addition, a charity created and funded by the Romneys called the Tyler Charitable Foundation gave the church another $4.8 million, according to the Tribune.

In the Parade interview, Ann Romney reportedly says that she "loves" tithing and cries when she gives the check. The comment prompted Mitt Romney to quip: "So do I, but for a different reason."

"It teaches us not to be too, too tied to the things of the world," Ann Romney told the magazine. "And it is a very good reminder of how blessed we really are, and most of those blessings do not come from a financial source, but from the power above."

Romney has estimated his net worth at up to a quarter billion dollars.

[goat5691]

It is truly amazing that we have been reduced to elect a person to our highest office that has no integrity; that has no feeling for the country only to the extent in how he would be able to make and keep more money.

[calif7]

Romney used his religion to avoid serving his country in Vietnam. Now he uses it to hide information from the American people.

[mountainstates1]

Willard, the problem is no one believes you're hiding your mormon tithings, or whatever you call it. Everyone believes you're hiding the fact you paid no taxes for years!

[ForestWalk]

Mitt is hiding again. He hid behind his mormon religion (its not Christianity) when other boys and men were going to Vietnam - and yes lots of them were volunteers who wanted to serve their country. Romney's life has not been one of service - it has been one of hiding. If he wanted to serve the country he would have done it then. And now again he is hiding behind his mormon religion to avoid telling the American people who he is. If he wanted to remain a private citizen I would say who cares - but he wants to be president and he should be willing to open of all aspects his life to the American people. Its hard to see who he really is when he continues to hide.

[sandy 1027]

Tithing isn't the issue.I tithe to my local church, and give offerings on top of that, as do many in accordance with Scripture.Scripture also commands that we "render unto Caesar that which belongs to Caesar"-meaning the taxes owed.Furthermore, as a matter of transparency,Mr. Romney should be willing to release at least 3-5 years of his tax returns-especially given the fact that he has Swiss and other offshore accounts.

[cleansweeper2]

I would agree the Taxes he has released so far are subject to be amended in 2013 ...

[Tanya_Zimmerman]

StormerF69

Amazing. So you think tax returns are off limits to the public for people who want to be president. Is that really what you are saying?

[rightontarget]

Everybody knows that "tithing" is 10% of your total income. If they find out his income from tax returns they will know how much he gave to the church or vice versa.

[OldtimeRepublican]

Romney is unelectable at this point because of the tax issue. Republicans should consider all options at the convention especially Ron Paul who has true conservative values and integrity.

[dougtheaveng]

"Romney is unelectable at this point because of the tax issue"

ROTFLMAO

Romney is ahead of BO in the polls as we speak.

[AOCGUY]

Considering the fact that Romney has already released his 2010 tax filing, anyone that cares to can find out what percentage of his income he gives to the church, so claiming that providing previous years tax filings will reveal his tithing , unless he suddenly changed how he does it, seems a bit lame.

[dj_chi]

Romney has two years to revise his returns. So he could hide plenty now and still have time to fix it after the election. That's why his prior returns are more revealing - they're beyond that 2-year limit. And we already know the 2010 return is not complete.

[jimatmadison]

It looks more and more like Harry Reid was 100% correct.

[nygurl1]

Stormer - you have already proven your are a fool, liar, jerk and a stooge. Have a happy!

[jimatmadison]

For over a generation, one of the standard sections on the Presidential Job Application involved releasing at least six years of taxes.

I've hired 30-40 people over the years and handled hundreds of job applications.

If somebody applying for a job with me REFUSED to fill out a standard section on our Job Application, that application would be in the trash before the candidate's car left the parking lot.