DAVE ROSS

Lie on your tax returns? Just remember what Dave Chappelle said

Jun 27, 2018, 6:50 AM

(Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, File)...

(Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, File)

(Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, File)

Washington Post Reporter David Fahrenthold, who won the Pulitzer Prize for documenting how the president ran his charity, has made another discovery — Trump Foundation tax returns, containing incorrect information, signed by Mr. Trump.

RELATED: Why not impose tariffs on the people we don’t like?

“And four different times he signed that under penalty of perjury and the return was wrong,” Fahrenthold explained.

Lying on a tax return is, of course, a felony. But only if you lie knowingly.

“You have to prove they knew the law and they violated it anyway,” Fahrenthold says. “And Trump’s defense in this case has been the old Dave Chappelle line, I didn’t know you couldn’t do that.”

He doubts the president will be prosecuted.

But now – before anybody starts fuming about that – let’s all take a deep breath and think about how donating to your own charitable foundation might actually be a very American thing for other people do.

“I talked to a lot of lawyers for this story and that’s the question they raised: If the president is going to get away with signing false tax returns, how do you prosecute anybody else for that?” Fahrenthold said.

Exactly!

So maybe you just roll with it. And in the unlikely event you do get pulled over by the IRS, just pull a Dave Chappelle and say: “Sorry officer, I didn’t know I couldn’t do that.”

And then just drive away.

Dave's Commentary

Dave Ross on KIRO Newsradio 97.3 FM
  • listen to dave rossTune in to KIRO Newsradio weekdays at 5am for Dave Ross on Seattle's Morning News.

Dave Ross

Image: From left, Chris Sullivan, Dave Ross and Colleen O'Brien stand together in the KIRO Newsradi...

MyNorthwest Staff

Dave and Colleen’s final ‘SMN:’ KIRO colleagues, politicians say their goodbyes

"Seattle's Morning News" on KIRO Newsradio will soon have a new sound. On Thursday, Dave Ross and Colleen O'Brien will host their last show together after a decade of co-hosting.

2 years ago

Classical literature on bookshelves. (Photo by Richard Baker / In Pictures via Getty Images)...

Dave Ross

Dave Ross as you’ve never heard him before: ‘I like fat books and I can’t deny’

"This song, inspired by one of my first interviews when I started my talk show, which was Sir Mix-A-Lot," Dave Ross said.

2 years ago

national debt...

Dave Ross

‘Don’t cut a cent:’ Dave Ross on why the national debt never gets under control

The national debt now exceeds $36 trillion, and every president says it has to be under control. And yet, it never is.

2 years ago

voters hormone...

Dave Ross

Ross: Voters weren’t just voting for change, they were voting for a hormone

The more I read the post-election analysis, the more I’m convinced voters weren’t just voting for a change – they were voting for a hormone.

2 years ago

ross o'brien - Seattle's Morning News...

Frank Sumrall

Dave Ross, Colleen O’Brien departing after co-hosting ‘Seattle’s Morning News’ for a decade

Dave Ross and Colleen O'Brien, the co-hosts of "Seattle's Morning News" on KIRO Newsradio are both leaving the show.

2 years ago

election day...

Dave Ross

Dave Ross: Election Day and Decision Day are two separate things

Tomorrow is Election Day – that’s what the calendar says. But there are two problems with the term "Election Day."

2 years ago

Lie on your tax returns? Just remember what Dave Chappelle said