Jeb Bush releases 33 years of tax returns, advocates for fairer tax code

(Image credit: Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

last updated 1 July 2015

Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush published a whopping 33 years of personal tax returns to his campaign website Tuesday, a new record in American politics. The former Florida governor reported an effective rate of 36 percent over the years.

"In my case, I paid the government more than one in three dollars that I earned in my career. Astounding," Bush writes. "I think I speak for everyone, no matter your tax rate: We need to get more money back in your pocket and less in the federal kitty."

The move, which came weeks after fellow candidate Marco Rubio came under fire for his shaky personal finances, represents Bush's effort to underscore his commitment to transparency. It is also meant to stand in stark contrast to Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton's tight lips regarding her use of a private email account during her tenure as secretary of state. Bush's disclosure arrives hours before the State Department is set to release thousands of Clinton's emails.