RALEIGH, N.C. _ Hillary Clinton is ramping up her attacks on Donald Trump's tax history after the Republican candidate said his ability to avoid paying any federal income taxes in some years showed he was "smart."
Speaking at a community college here in the battleground state of North Carolina, Clinton said Trump was using his campaign to criticize a country he has refused to support with his own money.
"He actually bragged about gaming the system to get out of paying his fair share of taxes," Clinton said.
"And this is a man who goes around calling our military a disaster. Who goes around criticizing every institution, from health care to education, our vets," she said. "But he probably hasn't paid a penny to support our troops, or our vets, or our schools, or our health care systems."
Trump has not released his tax returns, breaking with decades of tradition for major party candidates. Clinton has released years of documents, and pointed out that they show her family, which has made millions since her husband Bill Clinton left the White House, has paid the highest marginal rates.
"We believe in this country," she said. "And we believe that with the blessings that we've been given, we should do our part."
Throughout her speech, Clinton tried to draw a contrast between her kinder, gentler vision of the country and what she described as Trump's cut-throat approach.
She pointed to Trump's view of the housing bubble as an example.
"What kind of person would want to root for 9 million families losing their homes?" she said. "One who shouldn't be president."
