Vice President Joe Biden took aim at Republican nominee Donald Trump's refusal to release his tax returns while stumping Tuesday in Pennsylvania.
"He acknowledged he didn't pay taxes," Biden said at Drexel University in Philadelphia, The Washington Times reported. "He said he's 'smart.' Tell that to the janitor in here who's paying taxes. Tell him my dad busted his neck working 60 hours a week and paid all his taxes. Tell that to mothers and fathers breaking their neck to send you here, paying their taxes."
It angers me," Biden continued. "It angers me."
At Monday night's debate, upon being accused of not paying federal income tax, Trump did not deny the claim at that time, merely saying "that makes me smart."
His running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, had to refute the charge during an appearance on "CBS This Morning," when asked if Trump confirmed he hasn't paid.
"Oh no, gosh, no," Pence said. "He said afterward that he's paid federal taxes."
The governor mentioned Trump has released 100 pages of financial disclosure information, but that does not include his tax rate.
"I think he's joked in the past," Pence continued, "like any good businessman, he works to pay as little taxes as he can."
Then Biden moved on to Trump's comments on the housing market.
"This is a guy who said and wants to be president that it was good business for him to see the housing market fail," Biden said.
"Look, I've been there for eight presidents, Democrat and Republican. I've disagreed and I've agreed. But every president I have served with, including Republicans, has had a moral center about what it was to be an American.
"Can you imagine Ronald Reagan, the most conservative president we've had in — can you imagine him saying it's good business to take advantage of people's misery?"
Trump, Biden concluded, "does not have the basic fundamental sensibilities and values that almost every American politician left, right and center I know have."
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