Bernie Sanders, at the combative Town Hall of Fox News, does not apologize for making millions

Bernie Sanders spoke on Monday in a Fox News animated television room in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and sparks flew almost immediately, with Sanders refusing to explain why he would not voluntarily pay the new "huge tax on fortune "of 52% that he advocated. imposing on the richest of the nation.

"We're going to overcome that together," Sanders said at one point, as tension mounted.

Sanders later admitted that "you will pay more taxes" he became president. A few minutes before the start of the plenary session, Sanders published ten years of tax return, which, he acknowledged, shows that he was "lucky" even though he was pleading for a more progressive tax system.

According to statements, Sanders and his wife paid an effective tax rate of 26% on income of $ 561,293 and made more than $ 1 million in 2016 and 2017.

But presenters Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum insisted on why he kept his fortune rather than denying deductions or writing a check to the US Treasury. His salary. ("I did not suggest a wealth tax," MacCallum replied.)

"Pfft, come on, I paid the taxes I owe," Sanders retorted.. "And besides, why not ask Donald Trump to ask him how much he pays for taxes? President Trump is keeping a close eye on your network, is not it? Hey President Trump, my wife and I have just come out 10 years later, please do the same. "

When asked if Sanders' success – and his subsequent decision to keep his money – was not an implicit endorsement of the capitalist system he had repeatedly called dysfunctional, Sanders had rejected that idea.

"When you wrote the book and made money, is not that the definition of capitalism and the American dream?" Baier asked.

"No," Sanders responded flatly, after a pregnant break. "What we want is a country in which everyone has a chance.Many people do not have a university degree.Many are not senators from the United States."

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Sanders doubled his previous defenses of his wealth, which even some progressives have described as hypocrites.

"This year, we had an income of $ 560,000," said Sanders. "In the case of my wife and my wife, I wrote a very good book.It was a bestseller sold all over the world and we won money. One thinks that I should excuse myself for writing a bestseller, I'm sorry, I'm not going to do it. "

To find out if he supported the abortions that occur until birth, Sanders retorted, "I think it happens very, very rarely, and I think this is becoming a political issue. In the end, I think the abortion decision belongs to a woman and her physicist, not the government. "

Sanders also said that criminals, including rapists and murderers, should be able to vote from prison. But he insisted that he was not just looking for more potential Democratic voters.

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The tax day public meeting was held as Sanders emerged as the leader of the Democrats' fund-raising group and sought to distinguish himself from other Liberal candidates who had broadly embraced his progressive proposals, the general overhaul from "Medicare for All" to a higher minimum wage and free university education.

"I think Trump is a dangerous president, but if we just focus on him, we lose," Sanders told the mayor.

In addition, Sanders acknowledged that its Medicare for All (health care for all) health reform project, to which other 2020 Democratic aspirants, including Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren, have joined, would mean that many Americans "Pay more taxes".

According to some estimates, the total cost of the 10-year plan would exceed $ 32 trillion, which would require historic tax increases.

Sanders began by deviating when Baier asked him if he was concerned about rising public debt, saying it was "ironic" that Republicans were not attacking the president.

"You talk to the wrong guy," Sanders said. "We pay what we offer, unlike the President of the United States."

Sanders discussed in more detail a project to tax a "speculation tax" on Wall Street.

"I'm concerned about debt, it's a legitimate concern," Sanders said. "But we are paying for what we are offering.With regard to Medicare for All, we are paying for it by eliminating, as I have already said, deductibles and premiums.We will save money from the average American family ".

When Baier questioned the public at the town hall – which was clearly in favor of Sanders – most of indicated that they would support Sanders' health planalthough they currently have private insurance, they would lose.

Sanders also warned that climate change posed an existential threat, citing a recent United Nations report stating that there was only 12 years left to significantly change carbon emissions around the world in order to avoid a climate catastrophe. The United Nations made the same prediction in 1989, falsely warning that the world was facing a 10-year delay.

On the subject of immigration, Sanders said that we "did not need to demonize immigrants" and had proposed to "build adequate facilities just at the border" and to adopt a "reformation". complete immigration ". But he said it was "not a real question" when MacCallum asked about the merits of Trump's proposal to send illegal immigrants to sanctuary cities.

The self-proclaimed "Democratic Socialist", 77 years old – the oldest independent congressman in history – has also faced criticism that he would be too old to be president.

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At the town hall, Sanders acknowledged that this was a "good question", but said the applause was "too focused on individuals and not enough on the American people and their needs".

Over the weekend, Sanders has discussed with progressive activist groups, stressing that he has since largely dropped his criticism of "millionaires and billionaires", preferring to choose only "billionaires".

Earlier Monday afternoon, Sanders viewed some of his messages, saying that President Trump's "fiscal policies" would "raise taxes for millions of people."

In an article titled "Face to Face: You Probably (Probably) Have a Tax Cut", the New York Times acknowledged that Liberal messages had made many voters think that their taxes had increased, while most of them have achieved significant tax savings under the Trump regime. Tax law of 2017.

This city hall marked the first appearance of the Vermont Senator on Fox News Channel since he agreed to attend the Baier show in December 2018. He also participated in a Fox News Channel City Hall. in 2016 alongside his competitor Hillary Clinton.

Sanders closed the session by thanking Fox News for giving him this opportunity.

"Everyone did not think I should come on this show," Sanders said at one point. "Your network does not have a lot of respect in my world, but I thought it was important to be here."

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The chairman of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), Tom Perez, has ruled Fox News out of the organization of a Democratic primary debate. Some Congressional Democrats have described this decision as inappropriate and unnecessary, and the DNC management later stated that it had no objection to Sanders appearing in front of a Fox News town hall.

When asked when he thought the DNC would seek to tip the scales against Sanders – as revealed by e-mails leaked in 2016 – Sanders was optimistic.

"I think we've come a long way since we talk to the DNC every week," Sanders told Baier and MacCallum. "And I think the process will be right."

Since announcing his presidential candidacy in February, Sanders has raised $ 18.2 million in the first 41 days of his campaign. But while Sanders had a fund-raising advantage over his rivals, Democrats generally did not raise as much money as they had hoped for at this point. Many donors have stayed out to see how the contest will unfold, marking the beginning of a long battle.

The campaign among Democrats has become more focused as declared hopes of the White House have announced their fundraising totals for the first quarter. The first glimpses provided by nine of the declared candidates showed that the Democrats were collecting less money than in previous rounds and that they ran into the bank account of the election campaign that Trump had built.

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Democrats have collectively collected about $ 68 million since January, according to candidates who have already released their fundraising totals. That's less than the $ 81 million that Democrats collected during the same period in 2007, the last time the party had an open primary, according to data from the Federal Election Commission. And, it paled compared to the $ 30 million Trump raised in the first quarter.

"There is no doubt that the numbers are not at the same level as those recorded with Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton in 2008," said Tom Nides, a Clinton advisor and long-time fundraiser. "Am I worried? No, I'm not worried, but I'm a little worried."

Paulina Dedaj of Fox News and the Associated Press contributed to this report.