Jun 20, 2012
Where Are Intern Extraordinaire Jason Plummer’s Tax Policy Papers?
The Heritage Foundation published a number of policy papers on the U.S. tax code in 2005, but none of them were authored by Intern Extraordinaire Jason Plummer, according to the organization’s website. Summer of 2005, Plummer was probably busy making copies or getting food for actual Heritage Foundation staff as one of his superiors suggested. So why is Jason Plummer passing himself off as a tax policy expert? After getting slammed during his failed political run in 2010 for inflating his resume, Jason Plummer should share the policy papers he’s boasting about to Southern Illinois families.
“If Jason Plummer has the gall to pass off his college internship as the basis for tax policy expertise while not releasing his own tax returns, the very least Plummer can do is share the Heritage Foundation policy papers he claims to have written,” said Haley Morris of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “Illinois voters already rejected Jason Plummer for never having a real job, refusing to release his tax returns, and lying about his work experience. Folks in Southern Illinois work hard, and they deserve better than Intern Extraordinaire Jason Plummer’s delusions of Washington D.C. grandeur.”
Background
Plummer Bragged about his Tax Policy Papers. At a town hall event in June 2012, Plummer touted his internship experience at the Heritage Foundation claiming that he wrote several papers on tax loopholes. Plummer said, “I think that we have to tackle the loopholes that exist, and the interesting thing about me is you can find papers that I wrote a long time ago, dating back to ’05 at the Heritage Foundation, and things I worked on then, that talked about the fact that the loopholes were being exploited.” [Carbondale Town Hall, 6/15/12]
Heritage Foundation’s Website is Devoid of any of Plummer’s Tax Papers. A look back at the Heritage Foundation’s website shows that the research and policy section on taxes is completely devoid of any papers authored by Plummer. [Heritage Foundation, 9/3/05]
Plummer Exaggerated his Résumé. Jason Plummer has been repeatedly caught exaggerating his resume. In 2010, he was caught trying to spin his Heritage Foundation internship as substantive experience. According to Brian Darling, a Heritage Foundation official, interns like Plummer spent a lot of their time “dragging around food for meetings and making copies.” [Chicago Tribune, 2/13/10; State Journal-Register, 2/11/10]
Plummer Refused to Release Tax Returns. In 2010, Sun-Times columnist Carol Marin noted that Plummer “seemed irritated when pressed about his refusal to release his income tax returns.” Plummer told the editorial board he complied with Illinois law by filing a “Statement of Economic Interests.” Marin disagreed and wrote: “leadership means doing more than the minimum required.” [Chicago Sun-Times, 10/6/10]
Again, Plummer Refused to Release His Tax Returns. “Jason Plummer is standing by his policy against releasing his personal tax returns.” [St. Louis Post Dispatch, 2/23/12]
And Again, Plummer Refused to Release His Tax Returns. In a March 2012, the Plummer campaign again refused releasing his tax returns. The statement claimed that “The voters in Southern Illinois are not concerned with how much Mr. Plummer paid in taxes as an individual last year.” [StLToday, 3/09/12]
Editorial: Belleville News-Democrat Wondered if Plummer Has Something to Hide. In a February 2012 editorial, the Belleville News-Democrat urged Plummer to release his taxes. “The more Plummer refuses, the more it makes you wonder if he has something to hide. […] Plummer needs to release his income tax returns.” [Belleville News-Democrat Editorial, 2/25/12]
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