Biden and Harris release tax returns hours before first debate

The disclosure comes two days after the New York Times published a report on Trump’s tax returns, revealing he paid $750 in federal income taxes in 2016 and 2017 but nothing during 10 of the last 15 years.

The Bidens reported making a combined $944,737 in taxable income during 2019, with Joe’s occupation listed as an “executive” and Jill’s as a “teacher.” Despite spending much of the year on the campaign trail, they earned income from their respective posts at the University of Pennsylvania and Northern Virginia Community College, as well as the two-term vice president and 36-year Delaware senator’s federal pension

The couple paid $346,204 in federal tax before receiving a $46,858 refund for an effective tax rate of 31%.

The disclosure means Biden has released more than two decades of both state and federal tax returns. Harris, the junior California senator and former California attorney general, has revealed at least 16 years’ worth of documents.

Harris and Emhoff, who’s on leave as a partner for law firm DLA Piper, reported a taxable income of $3,018,127 in 2019, paying $1,185,628 in federal tax, an effective 39% tax rate. Their main sources of income were Harris’s 2019 memoir, The Truths We Hold, and Emhoff’s legal work.

Biden’s campaign described the development Tuesday as a “historic level of transparency” during a pre-debate call with reporters. The candidate also touted the move in a tweet.

“The American people deserve transparency from their leaders, it’s why as of today, I’ve released 22 years of my tax returns,” Biden wrote.

Breaking tradition, Trump has declined to disclose his own tax returns, claiming they are under audit.