Lieberman: Reid 'went over the line' in questioning Romney's taxes

Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) said Monday that Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) "went over the line" when he suggested on the Senate floor last week that Mitt Romney had not paid federal income taxes for a full decade.

"I just thought it was uncalled for and unjustified and really not what we should expect from our political leaders," Lieberman said during an appearance on "Kilmeade and Friends" on Fox News Radio. "Harry's a friend of mine, but I think he just went over the line on that one."

Reid has maintained in recent weeks that an investor in Bain Capital, the firm that Romney co-founded, told him that the presumptive GOP nominee had avoided income taxes for some 10 years. Democrats are looking to force Romney into releasing his tax returns for more than the two years he's made available.

Lieberman said he knew what Democrats were trying to do but felt that the tactic was out of bounds.

"Bottom line, I was very upset when I heard Sen. Reid say that about Romney because it's based on one conversation and it could really smear somebody," Lieberman said. "I know that obviously that Democrats are now saying Romney could end this by now putting out his tax records, but he's said he doesn't want to put out his tax records for 10 years."

The Connecticut lawmaker also said that he thought the tactic violated his childhood code of ethics.

"One of the things I grew up with was the idea that if you're talking about someone else, you really should not be speaking unless you know for sure, and frankly even if you know something bad about him, you shouldn't say that about him either," Lieberman said.

Over the weekend, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) defended Reid's reporting of his conversation with the Bain investor.

"Harry Reid made a statement that is true. Somebody told him. It is a fact," Pelosi said to The Huffington Post on Sunday. "Whether he did or not can easily be disposed of: Mitt Romney can release his tax returns and show whether he paid taxes."

But Republicans have blasted Reid's remarks, with Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-S.C.) saying he believed Reid was "lying."

Romney on Friday said Reid needed to "put up or shut up" about the report.

“Harry's going to have to describe who it is he spoke with because of course, that's totally and completely wrong," Romney said while campaigning in Nevada. "It's untrue, dishonest and inaccurate. It's wrong. So I'm looking forward to have Harry reveal his sources and we'll probably find out it's the White House."

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