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IRS Scandal News: House Panel Votes to Hold Lois Lerner in Contempt of Congress
Lily Dane/Activist Post
The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee has voted 21-12 to find former IRS official Lois Lerner in contempt of Congress.
Here are the details, as reported byFox News:
The contempt measure would next head to the House floor. House Speaker John Boehner predicted earlier this week that unless Lerner agrees to cooperate, the full House will support contempt — from there, the case would likely head to the courts.
“This is not an action I take lightly,” House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrell Issa, R-Calif., said before the vote. But he said lawmakers “need Ms. Lerner’s testimony to complete our oversight work and bring truth to the American people.”
The vote comes a day after the House Ways and Means Committee voted to refer Lerner’s case to the Justice Department for possible criminal prosecution. In a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder, the committee claimed Lerner may have violated “one or more criminal statutes.” The Department of Justice is not obligated to take up the committee’s request.
Some Democrats have argued that Lerner invoked her Fifth Amendment right to not testify:
“Guilty or innocent, Ms. Lerner has a constitutional right to remain silent on this issue,” Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., said. Further, she said if the committee were truly serious about pursuing this case, they would offer Lerner immunity.
Rep. Trey Gowdy destroyed that claim during the contempt hearing, as Breitbart reported:
Rep. Gowdy asked Democrats on the committee to explain what would constitute a waiving of 5th Amendment rights, if making 17 separate factual assertions, did not.
“Mr. Chairman, I counted 17 separate factual assertions by Miss Lerner…” said Gowdy. “That is a lot of talking for someone who wants to remain silent. That’s a lot talking!”
He continued with a note of exasperation in his voice, “if you honestly believe that somebody can make 17 separate factual assertions and still invoke your right to remain silent, then please tell me what waiver is?! Please tell me what constitutes waiver if 17 factual things does not!?”
Source: http://truthisscary.com/2014/04/irs-scandal-news-house-panel-votes-to-hold-lois-lerner-in-contempt-of-congress/
