PoliticsPoliticsMitt RomneyHarry Reid

Mitt Romney Is Glad Harry Reid Is Retiring

Mitt Romney Is Glad Harry Reid Is Retiring
Open Image Modal
By 

Senior Politics Editor, HuffPost

|

In yet another chapter in the ongoing feud between the two men, Mitt Romney lashed out at Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on Sunday for refusing to apologize for accusations that Romney didn’t pay 10 years' worth of taxes.

"He surely went over the line," Romney said of Reid during an interview on "Fox News Sunday." "But [I’m] disappointed in Harry Reid. That is really not appropriate for someone in his position to make unsubstantiated claims, and of course they are entirely wrong. I wish we could somehow go back and pay no taxes, but the truth is I paid a lot of taxes, released tax returns so people can see that. Harry, I guess, isn’t big enough to admit it."

The tension extends back to the summer of the 2012 election, when Reid told The Huffington Post that he heard from a source close to Romney’s old private equity firm that Romney had dodged taxes for a decade. Romney released one year of tax returns, showing an effective tax rate of 13.9 percent, and an estimate for another.

Critics pounced on Reid both for his refusal to reveal his source (which he still hasn’t done) and for spreading the speculation with apparent glee. Reid once took to the floor of the Senate to say that the word was out that Romney hadn’t paid taxes, without acknowledging that he had put out the word. Recently, during interviews to mark his impending retirement, he cited Romney’s 2012 election loss as a justification for spreading the rumor. Asked about it all, Reid said he had no regrets.

Love is clearly not lost between the two. On Sunday, Romney told Fox News that he was glad to see Reid, who he deemed “terribly ineffective in pursuing an agenda that is right for America,” retire.

“I wish him well in his retirement,” said Romney, “but I’m glad he is out of the Senate soon.”

To which, Reid’s spokesman responded with....

Support HuffPost

At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high-quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact-checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.

Whether you come to HuffPost for updates on the 2024 presidential race, hard-hitting investigations into critical issues facing our country today, or trending stories that make you laugh, we appreciate you. The truth is, news costs money to produce, and we are proud that we have never put our stories behind an expensive paywall.

Would you join us to help keep our stories free for all? Your will go a long way.

Support HuffPost

Before You Go

Harry Reid
Harry Reid(01 of25)
Open Image Modal
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 11: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), speaks to reporters after attending the weekly Democrat policy luncheon at the U.S. Capitol on March 11, 2014 in Washington, DC. Senate Democrats gathered at a luncheon to discuss various issues including CIA spying and the situation in Ukraine. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Harry Reid(02 of25)
Open Image Modal
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 11: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) arrives to answer questions following a weekly policy luncheon at the U.S. Capitol on March 11, 2014 in Washington, DC. Reid commented on allegations made by Sen. Dianne Feinstein regarding the CIA and the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Harry Reid(03 of25)
Open Image Modal
Senate Majority Leader Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) walks back to the Senate chamber after speaking to reporters on Capitol Hill March 5, 2014 in Washington, DC. Reid spoke to reporters after attending a weekly luncheon with Senate Democrats. (Photo credit should read BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Harry Reid(04 of25)
Open Image Modal
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 03: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) speaks briefly about the situation in Ukraine during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on Capitol Hill, March 3, 2014 in Washington, DC. Netanyahu is in Washington attending the AIPAC conference and earlier today met with U.S. President Barack Obama. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Harry Reid(05 of25)
Open Image Modal
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (2L) arrives for a meeting with Senator's Mitch McConnell (L), R-Kentucky, Dianne Feinstein (C), D-California, Carl Levin (2nd R), D-Michigan, and Senaote Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, March 3, 2014. (Photo credit should read JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Harry Reid(06 of25)
Open Image Modal
WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 12: (L-R) Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) wait for the arrival of Jordan's King Abdullah II at the U.S. Capitol February 12, 2014 in Washington, DC. King Abdullah met with members of Congress and Vice President Joe Biden and will meet with President Barack Obama on Friday in California. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Harry Reid(07 of25)
Open Image Modal
WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 12: (L-R) Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) wait for the arrival of Jordan's King Abdullah II at the U.S. Capitol February 12, 2014 in Washington, DC. King Abdullah met with members of Congress and Vice President Joe Biden and will meet with President Barack Obama on Friday in California. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Harry Reid(08 of25)
Open Image Modal
WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 06: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) is reflected in a television displaying a count of the number of people losing unemployment benefits during a news conference with Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY), Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) and other Senate Democratic leaders at the U.S. Capitol February 6, 2014 in Washington, DC. The Democratic senators called on their fellow senators to pass a short-term extension of unemployment benefits. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Harry Reid(09 of25)
Open Image Modal
Bernard Hopkins (R), International Boxing Federation (IBF) light heavyweight champion, speaks alongside Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (L) during a press conference by professional boxing and fighting organizations in support of a study by the Cleveland Clinic to study brain health, at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, February 4, 2014. (Photo credit should read SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Harry Reid(10 of25)
Open Image Modal
WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 16: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) (C), U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) (L), and U.S. Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) arrive at a press conference at the U.S. Capitol January 16, 2014 in Washington, DC. Reid and other Senate Democratic leaders spoke on pending legislation to extend unemployment insurance. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Harry Reid(11 of25)
Open Image Modal
WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 16: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid heads to a closed-door briefing for Senators, on Capitol Hill, January 16, 2014 in Washington, DC. The Senators were expected to be briefed on Iran. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Harry Reid(12 of25)
Open Image Modal
WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 09: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (L) (D-NV) and Sen. Patty Murray (R) (D-WA) arrive for a press conference January 9, 2014 in Washington, DC. During the press conference Reid and Murray commented on pending legislation to extend unemployment insurance. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Harry Reid(13 of25)
Open Image Modal
WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 09: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (C) (D-NV), Sen. Patty Murray (R) (D-WA) and Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) answer questions during a press conference January 9, 2014 in Washington, DC. During the press conference Reid, Murray and Schumer spoke on pending legislation to extend unemployment insurance. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Harry Reid(14 of25)
Open Image Modal
WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 07: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) speaks to reporters after attending the weekly Democrat policy luncheon at the U.S. Capitol on January 7, 2014 in Washington, DC. Senate Democrats gathered at a luncheon to discuss various issues inlcluding minimum wage and unemployment insurance. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Harry Reid(15 of25)
Open Image Modal
WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 17: U.S. Senate Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) (L) talks to Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) (R) as they wait for the Senate subway after a vote December 17, 2013 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. The Senate has passed a cloture vote to clear the way for a final vote of the Ryan-Murray Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Harry Reid(16 of25)
Open Image Modal
WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 21: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) talks to reporters about the use of the 'nuclear option' at the U.S. Capitol November 21, 2013 in Washington, DC. The Senate voted 52-48 to invoke the so-called 'nuclear option', voting to change Senate rules on the controversial filibuster for most presidential nominations with a simple majority vote. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Harry Reid(17 of25)
Open Image Modal
WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 21: (L-R) Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) looks on while Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill, November 21, 2013 in Washington, DC. The Senate voted 52-48 to invoke the so-called 'nuclear option', voting to change Senate rules on the controversial filibuster for most presidential nominations with a simple majority vote. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Harry Reid(18 of25)
Open Image Modal
WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 21: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) (L) and Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) leave after talking to reporters about the use of the 'nuclear option' at the U.S. Capitol November 21, 2013 in Washington, DC. The Senate voted 52-48 to invoke the so-called 'nuclear option', voting to change Senate rules on the controversial filibuster for most presidential nominations with a simple majority vote. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Harry Reid(19 of25)
Open Image Modal
WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 21: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) (C) arrives for a press conference with Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) (L) and Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL) after the U.S. Senate passed the 'nuclear option', a controversial rules change relating to filibusters, at the U.S. Capitol November 21, 2013 in Washington, DC. The Senate voted 52-48 to change Senate rules on the filibusters for most presidential nominations with a simple majority vote. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Harry Reid(20 of25)
Open Image Modal
WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 20: (L-R) House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH) bow their heads in prayer during the Congressional Gold Medal ceremony for the 33 Native American tribes whose members served as military code talkers during World War I and World War II in Emancipation Hall at the U.S. Capitol Visitors Center November 20, 2013 in Washington, DC. Hundreds of Native Americans served in the world wars as code talkers, soldiers who developed codes built upon their native languages to transmit secret tactical messages over military telephone or radio communications, improvind speed and encryption at both ends in front line operations during World War II. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Harry Reid(21 of25)
Open Image Modal
WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 19: U.S. Senate Majority Leader Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) speaks to members of the media after the Senate Democratic weekly policy luncheon November 19, 2013 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Senate Democrats participated in the luncheon to discuss Democratic agendas. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Harry Reid(22 of25)
Open Image Modal
WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 19: U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) leaves the weekly policy lunch of the Democratic caucus before speaking with reporters November 19, 2013 in Washington, DC. Reid spoke on recent efforts by Senate Republicans to filibuster judicial nominees appointed by U.S. President Barack Obama. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Harry Reid(23 of25)
Open Image Modal
WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 19: U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) answers questions from reporters following the weekly policy lunch of the Democratic caucus November 19, 2013 in Washington, DC. Reid spoke on recent efforts by Senate Republicans to filibuster judicial nominees appointed by U.S. President Barack Obama. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Harry Reid(24 of25)
Open Image Modal
US Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid speaks during a press conference as the Senate prepares to vote on the Employment Non Discrimination Act, which would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation, at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, November 7, 2013. (Photo credit should read SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Harry Reid(25 of25)
Open Image Modal
WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 14: U.S. Senate Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) speaks to members of the media after the weekly Senate Democratic Policy Committee luncheon January 14, 2014 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Reid said he hoped the Senate can vote on the $1.1 trillion spending bill on this Friday. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Suggest a correction
|
Submit a tip