My land, how Romney whined when caught lying in 2002
By now the story is well known: when Massachusetts Democrats challenged Romney's residency in Massachusetts as he geared up to run for governor in early 2002, Romney first said that he had maintained at least part-time Massachusetts residency during his years in Utah running the Olympics. He retroactively altered his tax returns to reflect that claim. When it came to light that he had gained a $54,000 tax break by claiming his Utah home as his primary residence, he said that that filing was the result of a clerical error. When reporters questioned whether he'd also profited on his income taxes by declaring Utah residency, Romney first said that he would respond to questions posed in writing. When those questions were submitted,
Romney's spokesman, Eric Fehrnstrom, said that Romney would not be responding because "he values his privacy and his wife's privacy." A few minutes later, pressed on whether he benefited financially in Utah by filing as a resident there and a nonresident in Massachusetts, he said: "That's as far as I'm telling you, that's it. That's the answer I'm going to give you, and that's all I got" (Boston Globe, 6/8/02, "Tax Benefit Unclear and Candidate Mum").
Of course that pattern of behavior now looks very familiar. Also according to now-familiar type: Romney's response to being subject to scrutiny. During his testimony before the Massachusetts Ballot Commission, his attorney drew the waterworks. The Boston Globe's Stephanie Ebbert reported on June 19, 2002 ("Romney Taxes Show No 'Domicile')":
A defiant Romney - who was on the stand for nearly 2 1/2 hours yesterday - grew emotional during questioning by his lawyer, when asked about Democrats' suggestions that he has not been truthful about his personal information and residency.
"Well, it really makes me feel sick, to tell you the truth. There's nothing . . . ," he said, then paused for about 10 seconds and looked down, appearing to tear up.
"There's nothing more important to me than my reputation for integrity," he continued. "I inherited a great reputation from my mother and father, and I plan on giving one to my kids."
It's hard to pass on such legacy when you're caught out lying. From the same Globe story:
Romney acknowledged under oath yesterday that he filed income taxes as a part-time resident of Massachusetts in 1999 and a nonresident in 2000.
In April, after he announced he would run for governor, he amended the returns to claim Massachusetts residency, he confirmed under oath. When the Globe first raised the issue, Romney initially said he had filed as a resident of both states. He later revised that position.
Democrats also yesterday introduced an affidavit from a Utah reporter who wrote in 2000 that Romney had told her he had declared his Utah house "his primary residence for tax purposes." Deseret News reporter Lisa Riley Roche provided an affidavit stating that the article was, to her knowledge, a "fair and accurate representation" of what Romney told her in an interview. Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom said Romney had been talking about his status as a Utah resident for income tax purposes, not property taxes.
Change your story and status retroactively; stonewall and cry persecution when called out for it. Sound familiar?