David Cay Johnston, the reporter who got the scoop on Trump's 2005 tax returns, told MSNBC's Rachel Maddow tonight that he got Trump's tax documents in the mail — unsolicited — and argued that they could have been leaked from President Trump himself.
"It's entirely possible Donald sent this to me… with Donald you never know. He has a long history of leaking material about himself when he thinks it'll be in his best interest," said Johnston.
Trump paid 24% of his $152.7 million of positive income, and that was in large part because he was able to say had a negative income of $103 million, said Johnston.
If we didn't have the alternative minimum tax (which Trump wants to get rid off), Trump would have paid less than 3.5% in taxes in 2005.
Johnston's theory: Johnston thinks Trump has something to hide. As for what the president's hiding? Johnston said he thinks Trump's tax returns are tied to the Russians.
