April 21, 2008
John McCain Discloses Data on His Charity Giving
By Grant Williams
Sen. John McCain, the Republican presidential candidate, has released his tax returns for the past two years, including details about the money he donated to charitable causes.
In 2007, the Arizona senator reported $405,409 in total income and contributed $105,467, or 26 percent of his total income, to charity.
In 2006, Mr. McCain said he had $358,414 in total income and donated $64,695, or 18 percent of his total income, to charity.
The tax returns were filed solely by Mr. McCain. His wife, Cindy McCain, an heir to a beer distribution company in Phoenix who has reported wealth of $100-million, files a separate return each year and does not plan to release her tax returns.
A statement from Mr. McCain’s campaign said that most of the senator’s charitable contributions were made to the John and Cindy McCain Family Foundation, which makes direct contributions to charities.
The senator and Mrs. McCain each make gifts to their foundation, which is focused on helping organizations that work “for the spiritual, educational, and medical needs of the community.”
Mrs. McCain has donated the same amount to charity as her husband — a total of $170,162 for each of them — over the past two years, his campaign said.
The private foundation’s informational tax returns are available on the campaign’s Web site.
On its Web site, the campaign posted a list of the organizations that have received gifts from the McCain family foundation in the past two years.
In 2007, the foundation provided a total of $78,250 to charities, including $25,000 to Operation Smile, which repairs facial abnormalities in children and young people, and $25,000 to the Halo Trust, which removes debris left behind after wars, especially land mines.
In 2006, recipients of the foundation’s $187,639 in total gifts included Brophy College Preparatory school, in Phoenix, $50,500; and Christ Lutheran School, in Phoenix, $42,639.
Mr. McCain’s campaign said he donates his royalties from his books to charities and that “this sum has totaled over $1,800,000 since 1998 when he signed his first book deal.” The campaign said his book income added up to $256,898 for 2006 and 2007.
The senator’s campaign also said that Mr. McCain has donated to charity a total of $450,000 since 1991— money he received from increases in his Senate salary — “because he opposed the Congressional pay increase at that time and pledged not to accept the pay raises.”
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I would like the address of the McCain Foundation so I might write a grant from them
— Catherine Nelson Apr 18, 04:23 PM #
By NOT releasing his wife’s income, like the other candidates have done with their spouses’ incomes, it makes John McCain look like he’s hiding something!
— KYJurisDoctor Apr 18, 06:48 PM #
How is any candidates’ spouse’s income our business?
When did this become a matter for public domain?
Has American Society really become this nosy and intrusive into the lives of our candidates spouses which often, but not always, non public figures or servants?
The McCains have always filed separate returns, and John McCain signed a prenup.
It would be small minded of me to think that Cindy McCain’s tax returns, or her income, would influence the mind of John McCain or his ability to carry out any duties in the public service sector, whether it be Senator or President.
The Kennedys were affluent, FDR was affluent, and pardon my ignorance but I simply fail to see how their incomes played a strong factor, if any, in decisions that affected the populace as a whole.
— Mercey Apr 18, 11:46 PM #
Since this nice little article didnt mention it:
Brophy College Preparatory School happens to be the prep school that McCain's two sons attended.
Christ Lutheran School happens to be the private school that McCain's Daughter attends.
The article didn’t mention that McCain had previously donated $50,000 went to Xavier College Preparatory where one of his other daughters attended.
In other words McCain was taking a tax deduction for donations to elite private schools that his children have attended. Perfectly legal but….
— Mike Apr 27, 10:56 PM #
This article makes him look bad on a number of levels….he is really super rich…but by not disclosing his wife’s income is trying to appear as something other than what he is…and his “philanthropic” choices are not impressive.
— Alan Apr 29, 12:41 PM #