Unless Republican candidate for Missouri governor Eric Greitens releases four years worth of tax returns, his Democratic opponent won’t debate him again.
Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster’s campaign made the threat Tuesday morning in a letter to Greitens’s campaign manager Austin Chambers. Click here to read the full letter.
The letter reads in part:
“Only with such candid disclosure is it possible for Mr. Greitens to provide the voters an equivalent assurance, as has Attorney General Koster, that no conflict or inconsistency exists between Mr. Greitens’ actual financial history, his campaign’s rhetoric, and his suitability to act as Governor.”
Greitens’s campaign told the St. Louis Dispatch on September 27 that it would release the tax returns if Koster’s campaign released his. Koster released tax returns from 2012 through 2015 last week.
Koster’s letter gave Greitens until 5 p.m. Thursday, October 6, to disclose his taxes. The letter continues:
“[The tax returns are] an absolute condition in order for our campaign to continue negotiating with yours regarding the terms and details of the contemplated October 14 gubernatorial debate.”
Koster campaign manager Andrew Whalen said he thinks Greitens is scared to give out his returns.
“He’s obviously afraid of something that’s in there,” said Whalen. “He’s hiding something from the people of Missouri.”
Greitens’s campaign responded with a letter of its own, claiming it’s Koster who is scared. Click here to read the full letter.
The letter reads in part:
“Letters like the one sent by your campaign scream that Koster is terrified of debating Eric.”
Chambers denied Greitens is hiding anything from the public.
“We aren’t hiding anything. We filled out all these personal finance disclosures,” said Chambers. “In fact, you have to fill them out to be on the ballot here in Missouri. You have to fill out a personal financial disclosure and prove you don’t have conflicts of interest. We’ve done that, and we will continue to be transparent.”
Chambers said Greitens will not be releasing his tax returns.
“We will not meet the arbitrary and political demands of crooked Chris Koster,” the letter from the Greitens campaign said.
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Brian Abel can be reached at brian.abel@kshb.com.
