The Obama campaign released a new ad on Monday hitting Mitt Romney for controversial comments made at a recent fundraiser, saying he had “callously written off” 47 percent of Americans and calling him to “come clean” by releasing more tax returns.
“Mitt Romney attacked 47 percent of Americans who pay no income tax — including veterans, elderly, the disabled,” the narrator says. “Doesn’t the president have to worry about everyone?”
Last week a surreptitiously filmed video surfaced of Romney telling a group of fundraisers that “47 percent” of voters are “dependent on government.”
He also said these voters see themselves as “victims” and that his job as a candidate is to instead focus on independent voters who could swing the election.
Romney initially stood by the comments, but has since said called them “inelegant,” and said he will be the president of the “100 percent.”
“Mitt Romney paid just 14.1 percent in taxes last year,” the ad continues. “He keeps millions in Bermuda and the Cayman Islands. He won’t release his tax returns before 2010. Maybe instead of attacking others on taxes, Romney should come clean on his.”
On Friday, Romney released his 2011 returns, revealing that he paid $1.94 million in taxes on $13.7 million of mostly investment income, at an effective tax rate of 14.1 percent.
He also released a notarized statement from his tax preparers affirming that he paid more than 13 percent in each of the past 20 years, but has said he will not release returns prior to 2010.
The ad, called “No Taxes,” will run in the critical battleground of Ohio, where Romney and running mate Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) are slated to campaign on a three-day bus tour through the state.
The Romney campaign dismissed the ad, claiming that the president's own record on taxes had hurt working families.
"President Obama's tax increases on middle-class families will not make the next four years any better than the last four,” said Romney spokeswoman Andrea Saul, in a statement. “Under President Obama's failed leadership, 23 million Americans are struggling for work, with 46 million Americans on food stamps and more people in poverty than ever before. Mitt Romney has a plan for a stronger middle class that will lower tax rates across the board and jump-start economic growth, creating 12 million jobs."
This story was updated at 8:20 a.m. to include a statement from the Romney campaign.
