Maddow criticized for handling of Trump's taxes

Audio By Carbonatix

Some anticipated that it could become one of the biggest scoops of President Donald Trump's first 100 days in office.

Trump, who had refused to release his tax returns throughout the 20016 presidential campaign, was set to face the consequences of that decision when MSNBC's host Rachel Maddow announced that she had received his tax returns and was planning to make them public on her show last night.

At 7:36 PM, the host of The Rachel Maddow Show tweeted.

BREAKING: We've got Trump tax returns. Tonight, 9pm ET. MSNBC.

(Seriously).

— Rachel Maddow MSNBC (@maddow) March 14, 2017

She soon clarified that she didn't have all of his tax returns. She only had his 1040 form from 2005.

Still, the anticipation grew.

At 9 PM, Maddow's viewers watched eagerly as she built up the story, ultimately revealing that....Trump reported 150 million dollars in income that year and paid 38 million in taxes. But the White House had already scooped her. The Trump White House had announced (minutes before the show broadcast) that Trump had paid those taxes.

However, The Rachel Maddow Show spent much of its hour covering this breaking story but many who watched were disappointed. 

Slate.com noted that "[I]f ever a story should have been delivered in a stentorian, fuddy-duddy, nonpartisan manner, this was it. In positioning it as a grand revelation, a vital step in comprehending Trump’s corruption, MSNBC created an exceedingly cynical spectacle. " The New York Times reported that "On Twitter, journalists complained that Ms. Maddow had overhyped her findings with the initial teasing tweet, noting that the information in the returns did not amount to a scandal."

Even some celebrities, who have been critical of the Trump administration thought Maddow's scoop wasn't as revelatoryas expected with actor Kumail Nanjiani tweeting the following: 

I mean if this doesn't go to him receiving unexplained money from foreign sources, I'm gonna be so angry. #maddow

— Kumail Nanjiani (@kumailn) March 15, 2017

I'm getting very angry. #TrumpTaxReturns

— Kumail Nanjiani (@kumailn) March 15, 2017

It remains to be seen if more tax returns will come out  but in the meantime, Maddow's reporting on the returns seems to be getting a lot of negative attention this morning.