Scrutiny On Trump-Putin Links Intensifies

I don't want to beat this issue to death, but if the Trump-Putin ties and Russian efforts to boost Trump's election prospects in exchange for Donald Trump's apparent hits that he will change U.S. Policy prove true, I can recall NOTHING in my lifetime that would pose such a threat to America and democracy itself.   America betrayed by its own president.  Now, even George Will - who has resigned from the Republican Party over the nomination of Donald Trump - has for perhaps the first time raised this issue of Russian efforts to influence the November election on Fox News, a/k/a Faux News on this blog.  The Hill looks at Will's stunning and much needed raising of this issue.  Here are highlights:

Fox News contributor George Will says GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump will not release his tax returns because they may show "he is deeply involved in dealing with Russia oligarchs."

The claim — which Will could not support with any tangible proof — was made to Bret Baier on Fox News's "Special Report" live from the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia on Monday night. The topic was raised after some Democratic Party officials, including presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's campaign manager, Robby Mook, attempted to connect the Republican presidential nominee to a leak of Democratic National Committee (DNC) emails.

"Well, it's the sort of thing we might learn if we saw the candidate's tax returns," Will responded. "Perhaps one more reason why we're not seeing his tax returns — because he is deeply involved in dealing with Russian oligarchs and others. Whether that's good, bad or indifferent, it's probably the reasonable surmise."

Will, 75, declared last month he was leaving the Republican Party as a result of Trump's rhetoric, stating, "I decided that, in fact, this was not my party anymore."

The former editor of National Review was a political commentator for ABC News for 42 years before joining Fox News in 2013.

I typical view Will as a right wing crank, but perhaps he is on the money tonight.  If pro-Russia concerns are unfounded, why doesn't Trump release his tax returns.  If Trump has nothing to hide, why is he acting like he is desperately hiding something by his refusal to release his tax returns.