Huntsman Sr. denies he's Reid's source, then calls on Romney to release taxes

Not me! But, uh, release the damn taxes. Despite all the circumstantial evidence, Jon Huntsman Sr. denies it was him who told Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid about Mitt Romney's taxes:

'That's absolutely false,' Huntsman said of the speculation. 'I have absolutely no knowledge of Bain or Mitt Romney's tax returns.'

Asked directly if he had ever had a conversation of any kind with Reid about Romney's returns, Huntsman reiterated he hadn't. Huntsman said his main connection to Reid is through their shared interest in cancer research.

If he's telling the truth, that would also preclude the leak coming from any other Huntsman family member, since Senior is the link to former Bain managing director Robert C. Gay. But of course, people don't always tell the truth.

In any case, it's not like Senior is going out of his way to defend Romney. Quite the opposite, actually:

'I feel very badly that Mitt won't release his taxes and won't be fair with the American people,' Huntsman told me. In a reference to Romney's father, who pioneered the release of returns as a presidential candidate, Huntsman said: 'I loved George. He always said, pay your taxes for at least 10 or 12 years.'

'Mr. Romney ought to square with the American people and release his taxes like any other candidate,' Huntsman said. 'I've supported Mitt all along. I wish him well. But I do think he should release his income taxes.'