The New York Times
By MARK LANDLER and JIM RUTENBERG
Published: April 13, 2012
WASHINGTON — Punctuating a week of political assaults on Mitt Romney over taxes, President Obama and Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. plan to release their own income tax returns on Friday, along with a statement calling on Mr. Romney to do the same, according to an Obama campaign official.
The release of the returns, four days ahead of the Internal Revenue Service’s tax deadline for the public, will set the stage for another week of wrangling over taxes, with the Senate scheduled on Monday evening to take up the White House’s proposed “Buffett Rule” minimum tax for the wealthiest Americans.
It comes after days of attacks on Mr. Romney — by the Obama campaign for not releasing tax records for more years, and by Mr. Biden in a campaign speech in New Hampshire on Thursday, for what the vice president said was Mr. Romney’s siding with fellow Republicans against taxes on millionaires.
“If Governor Romney has his way, we’ll have the Romney Rule,” Mr. Biden said. “The Romney Rule says, ‘Let’s double down on tax cuts for the wealthy.’ ” Later, Mr. Biden expressed incredulity that Mr. Romney would label the president “out of touch,” asking the audience, “How many of you all have a Swiss bank account?”
