Fact-Check: Yes, Hillary Clinton Used the Same Tax Loophole Donald Trump Used

The Associated Press
The Associated Press

During the second presidential debate, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said Hillary Clinton “complains that Donald Trump took advantage of the tax code.”

Fact-Check: TRUE

The New York Times obtained Trump’s tax returns which revealed that the Republican nominee avoided paying federal income taxes by reporting losses on his 1995 tax return.

Clinton criticized Trump as the hypocritical embodiment of “the same rigged system he claims he will change.”

However, Clinton herself has taken advantage of the same tax loopholes she’s hammered Trump over. 

According to Clinton’s 2015 tax returns, she reported capital gains losses to lessen her tax burden through a “carryover.”

On page 17, “Capital Gains and Losses” for “William J Clinton & Hillary Rodham Clinton, the Clintons reported a “long-term capital loss carryover” of $699,540. In other words, Hillary Clinton reported a “net long-term capital gain or (loss)” of negative “$699,540.”

During Sunday’s debate clinton also falsely stated that Trump is “somebody who maybe hasn’t paid federal income taxes in 20 years.” 

That statement is also false. 

The Times admits that Trump’s tax statements reveal that he may have avoided paying income taxes for “up to 18 years.

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