quote:
Trump: 'I'm smart' for not paying taxes
By Daniella Diaz, CNN
Updated 12:39 PM ET, Tue September 27, 2016
Trump: I'm 'smart' for paying no taxes
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Trump: I'm 'smart' for paying no taxes 00:51
Story highlights
Trump said avoidance of paying taxes shows he's a successful businessman
Though he hasn't released his tax returns
Washington (CNN)When Hillary Clinton said that her Republican rival Donald Trump had paid no federal income tax in some years, Trump didn't deny it.
In fact, he said: "That makes me smart."
After the debate, he told CNN's Jim Acosta: "Of course I've paid federal taxes."
Clinton was pressing Trump for not releasing his tax returns for public scrutiny. Trump has said he won't release his tax returns until a routine audit is complete, though every major party presidential candidate over the past 40 years have released tax returns.
"There is something he is hiding," Clinton said of Trump during the debate.
"Or maybe he doesn't want the American people, all of you watching tonight, to know that he's paid nothing in federal taxes, because the only years that anybody's ever seen were a couple of years when he had to turn them over to state authorities when he was trying to get a casino license, and they showed he didn't pay any federal income tax," she said.
"That makes me smart," Trump said.
So kiddos just know our Cheeto and Chief does not think the rich should pay taxes because ya know they are smart.
"You were not there for the beginning. You will not be there for the end. Your knowledge of what is going on can only be superficial and relative" William S. Burroughs