Mitt Romney hopes millions he tithes to LDS Church isn't politicized

Romney's tithe-paying may now be caught up in politics the way his income is, a possibility Chris Wallace of "Fox News Sunday" explored with Romney last Sunday.

"You have been very open about the fact that like a lot of other devout Mormons, you tithe to your church," Wallace said. "Given the results that we saw in South Carolina, do you think it might be any kind of a political problem, the fact that, being as wealthy are you are, you've given millions of dollars to the (LDS Church)?"

Romney said he hoped his faith-based donations would not be a political problem.

"If people want to discriminate against someone based upon their commitment to tithe, I'd be very surprised," he said. "This is a country that believes in the Bible. The Bible speaks about providing tithes and offerings. I made a commitment to my church a long, long time ago that I would give 10 percent of my income to the church. And I followed through on that commitment.

"And, hopefully, as people look at various individuals running for president, they'd be pleased with someone who made a promise to God and kept that promise," Romney continued. "So, if I had given less than 10 percent, then I think people would have had to look at me and say, hey, what's wrong with you, fella? Don't you follow through on the promises?"

View Romney's financial documents in PDF format.

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