Bernie Sanders Releases 10 Years of Tax Returns, Urges Trump to Follow Suit

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - US Senator Bernie Sanders released his tax returns for the past ten years and called on President Donald Trump to do the same, the senator’s campaign office said in a press release.

"Sanders today released 10 years of tax returns including his 2018 return," the release said on Monday. "As a strong proponent of transparency, the senator hopes President Trump and all Democratic primary candidates will disclose their tax returns."

In 2018, Sanders paid a 26 percent effective tax rate on $561,293 in annual gross income, the release said. According to attached tax documents, the senator made more than $1 million in annual earnings in both 2017 and 2016. The primary sources of revenue in all three years including combination of his salary as a senator and book deals.

"These tax returns show that our family has been fortunate. I am very grateful for that, as I grew up in a family that lived paycheck to paycheck and I know the stress of economic insecurity," Sanders was quoted as saying in the release. "I consider paying more in taxes as my income rose to be both an obligation and an investment in our country. I will continue to fight to make our tax system more progressive so that our country has the resources to guarantee the American Dream to all people."

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US lawmakers have been clashing with Trump over the president’s refusal to release his tax returns. The US Congressional Committee on Ways and Means has asked the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to furnish Trump’s tax details by April 23.

The Senator from Vermont announced earlier this year that he was running for president in 2020. In 2016 he lost the Democratic primary to Hillary Clinton.