Harris Hits Sanchez on Husband’s Tax Records

Sanchez says there's no conflict of interest as California Senate candidates trade shots

California Rep. Loretta Sanchez says her husband has no financial conflict of interest. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call file photo)
California Rep. Loretta Sanchez says her husband has no financial conflict of interest. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call file photo)
Posted November 2, 2016 at 9:23am

California Attorney General Kamala Harris’ Senate campaign is hitting Rep. Loretta Sanchez for failing to disclose her husband’s tax information.

Sanchez released her tax returns, showing she earned $156,674 in 2015 and paid $36,606 in state and federal income taxes, but declined to release the information of her husband, lawyer John Einwechter.

Sanchez said her husband has “no financial conflict’ and that they filed separately because he is still settling financial issues with his ex-wife.

“He has four or five clients,” Sanchez said. “They have nothing to do with anything.”

But Harris campaign adviser Sean Clegg hit Sanchez for not releasing her husband’s returns.

“Like nearly every aspect of her campaign, Loretta Sanchez’s failure to honestly and completely release her taxes is a joke,” he said. “And it’s not funny.”

Harris released records for her and her husband, lawyer Douglas Emhoff, in mid-October, showing they made $1.17 million and paid slightly less than $450,000 in state and federal income taxes in 2015.

Harris and Sanchez, both Democrats, finished 1-2 in California’s open primary in June. Under the state’s election rules, the top two voter-getters advance to the general election, regardless of party.