Story highlights Democrats fighting Obamacare say they don't want to be distracted by Trump's taxes

Washington (CNN) Democratic operatives and lawmakers who once would have rejoiced at the release of President Donald Trump's taxes reacted to the publication of his 2005 tax return by urging their colleagues not to get distracted from the Republican health care plan.

Journalist David Cay Johnston published the return information ahead of an appearance on MSNBC Tuesday. The return, which Johnson said he found in his mailbox, found that Trump paid $38 million in income tax in 2005. It was later confirmed by the White House.

Though Democrats have long coveted Trump's tax returns, which the candidate and now president has refused to release, a cadre of Democratic operatives and lawmakers stressed the need to focus on the GOP plan to repeal and replace Obamacare, which the Congressional Budget Office says would cause millions to lose health insurance, lead to higher premiums in the short-term and decrease the amount spent on Medicaid.

"Message: tax cuts for the rich paid for by taking health care away from 24M people > tax returns," Dan Pfeiffer, a former senior adviser to President Barack Obama tweeted.

Sen. Brian Schatz, a Hawaii Democrat, added, "Focus! $880b cut in Medicaid in order to pay for a $880b tax cut for rich. Plus an age tax."

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