Romney to release taxes

WASHINGTON, Jan. 22 (UPI) -- Republican U.S. presidential hopeful Mitt Romney said Sunday he will release his tax returns for 2010 and an estimate for his 2011 tax returns this week.

"Given all the attention that's been focused on tax returns, given the distraction that I think they became in these last couple of weeks ... I will release my tax returns for 2010 which is the last returns that were completed. I'll do that on Tuesday of this week. I'll also release at the same time, an estimate for 2011 tax returns," Romney said in an interview on "Fox News Sunday."

Romney said he made a mistake waiting to release the returns as late as he has -- he initially planned to release them in April, "when they have been released by candidates in the past."

The former Massachusetts governor said he's paid his "full fair taxes," which he estimates too be about 15 percent of his income.

"And I'm sure the Democrats will do their very best to see if they can find something that stirs up interest," Romney said.

Romney said he doesn't expect the American public -- which will be able to view his tax records on his Web site -- will have a problem with his donations of 10 percent of his income to the Mormon church.

"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," he said.