The Buffalo News really needs to have a chat with its headline writers. The headline accompanying Jerry Zremski’s August 16 piece concerning Chris Collins’s taxes bore the headline, “Collins discloses three years’ tax returns.” In fact, Collins showed his form 1040s for three tax years to Zremski and to no one else in the world. While Congresswoman Kathy Hochul has posted three years’ worth of tax returns online for anyone to see, along with the schedules and worksheets to go with it, Collins has repeatedly refused to do the same.

Zremski wrote, “Those returns did not include any schedules or attachments that would have detailed Collins’ business investments, but they do show the finances of a wealthy businessman-turned-politician and how Collins’ income compares to that of his opponent, Rep. Kathleen C. Hochul, D-Hamburg.”

Did Collins show Zremski his 1040s to show off the fact that he’s wealthy? That’s hardly the issue: We know he’s wealthy.

The reasons why Collins won’t release his tax returns to the public have changed over time, from the notion it will reveal confidential material about people with whom he does business to something really quite telling:

[Hochul spokesman Frank] Thomas said it’s important that Collins do the same so that voters can see in detail his business interests—including those of Ingenious Inc., a Collins company that has contracted with a Chinese manufacturer to make the Balance Buddy, a tool aimed at helping kids learn how to ride their bikes.

Collins says, though, that he can’t release those full tax details without revealing his business partners’ income and without jeopardizing the competitive position of his companies.

“My federal return is probably 25 pages long,” Collins added. “It’s too much for the public to absorb.”

Got that, dummy? By not being Chris Collins, you’re clearly cursed with diminished cognitive abilities, such that it’s a miracle you have the brain power to put your pants and shirt on in the morning. You know how you stopped reading Harry Potter after the 24th page because your brain couldn’t absorb anymore? You cretins would look at Collins’ tax returns and the ink with which it was printed would run from your drool getting all over it.