WASHINGTON, DC - May 9 - During coverage of the 2004 election cycle, both The Washington Post and Wall Street Journal published editorials calling on Teresa Heinz Kerry, wife of Democratic presidential nominee Sen. John Kerry, to release her tax returns. To date, neither publication has called on Cindy McCain, wife of presumptive 2008 Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain, to do the same. Today, Media Matter for America released letters sent to the editorial boards of both papers calling on the publications to explain their lack of consistency.

Excerpts from the letter to The Washington Post:

"On May 4, 2004, The Washington Post printed an editorial headlined 'Teresa Heinz Kerry's Taxes.' In this editorial, the Post called for Sen. John Kerry and his wife, Teresa Heinz Kerry, to 'make her tax returns public' in the interest of transparency. From the beginning of this year to the date of this letter, the Post editorial board has not made the same request for the release of Cindy McCain's tax returns or even noted that Sen. John McCain's campaign has refused to release such documents."

[...]

"Given the significantly limited information released by the McCain campaign, why has the Post failed to call for Cindy McCain to make her full returns public, as it did with Heinz Kerry? In 2004, the Post lamented that the information released by Heinz Kerry was "short of what ought to be done." But when it comes to Cindy McCain -- who has released even less information than Heinz Kerry -- the Post has chosen to remain silent."

"We call on you today to explain your lack of consistency on this important issue or risk tarnishing your journalistic credibility and integrity not just with your readers but with the broader American public as well."

Excerpts from the letter to The Wall Street Journal: