When the I.R.S. and New York Times effect a merger, beware: truth suffers. On Saturday we were treated to this headline, strapped across the top of page one of the business section of our newspaper of record, “In Superrich, Clues to What Might Be in Romney’s Return.” Note: This is a news story, not an opinion piece overtly aimed at shoring up the unsubstantiated, unsourced claims of Senate majority leader Harry Reid. Enter the I.R.S., which released a study showing that the 400 members of the “elite ultrarich” earned an average of $202 million in 2009. So far, so factual.

Now comes the kicker: six of the 400 paid no federal income tax. “The I.R.S. has never before disclosed the last fact,” reports the New York Times. Odd that after all these years it should choose to do so now.