Posted on 03/05/2014 7:14:01 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
California Rep. Darrell Issa adjourned a divisive House Oversight hearing Wednesday after IRS official Lois Lerner pleaded the Fifth Amendment and refused to answer his questions.
“Seeking the truth is the obligation of this committee,” Issa said before announcing that he had no expectation that Lerner would answer his questions and adjourning the hearing.
Lerner invoked the Fifth Amendment on each question Issa asked about the agency’s targeting of conservative groups. The hearing lasted approximately fifteen minutes before Issa released Lerner.
Issa began the hearing by explaining that Lerner previously waived her Fifth Amendment rights in a May 2013 hearing and that “the committee may proceed to consider whether she be held in contempt.”
VIDEO at source.
ssa did not choose to hold Lerner in contempt of Congress on the floor of the hearing. It is unclear at this time if he will choose to pursue contempt charges.
Immediately after Issa adjourned, Democratic Oversight Committee Ranking Member Rep. Elijah Cummings angrily blasted Issa’s efforts. Issa ignored Cummings and shut off the Democrat’s microphone.
“Mr. Chairman, you cannot run a committee like this,” Cummings shouted, calling Issa’s inquiry a “one-sided investigation” and saying, “We’re better than this as a country.”
“I am a member of the Congress of the United States of America, and I am tired of this,” Cummings shouted.
“Close it down,” Issa said, releasing Lerner and angrily cutting Cummings’ microphone.
Issa noted in his remarks that Oversight has “conducted 33 bipartisan, transcribed interviews with employees from the IRS” but that the IRS “continues to withhold” some of Lerner’s emails that Issa requested in his three separate subpoenas for documents.
Ooooooh. That’ll show ‘em! An angry adjournment! Maybe next time he’ll have a petulant adjournment. Or (gasp!)the dreaded impolite adjournment!
“Given the DC insiders of both parties who hate the fact the “little people” are speaking up, is anything ever going to come of this?”
I think you already know the answer.
There are plenty of reasons to criticize Issa, but the big move that Issa pulled today in committee deserves credit.
He unloaded subpoenaed IRS emails into the public domain for the court of public opinion to digest by holding a hearing on this matter today.
Go read the Lois Lerner emails and forget the show that was on TV so Issa could make this data dump according to committee rules. So read up and educate your friends.
“Mr. Chairman, you cannot run a committee like this,” Cummings shouted, calling Issa’s inquiry a “one-sided investigation” and saying, “We’re better than this as a country.”
“I am a member of the Congress of the United States of America, and I am tired of this,” Cummings shouted.
I saw that on TV. It was pretty funny, I must admit.
Maryland "Freak State" PING!
ssa did not choose to hold Lerner in contempt of Congress on the floor of the hearing....
&&&
Why? I hope someone who knows more than I do about this sort of thing will explain Issa’s failure to do so.
Oh, yeah? Why didn't he keep her there all day long taking the Fifth while unloading even more subpoenaed emails? Wouldn't that have been better for the court of public opinion?
Issa is a loser (see Issa's Fast and Furious investigation).
When you sell your soul to the devil you don't have to answer to God or humans. Thats the reason you don't have to have no brains to be a stupid demonrat democrat because they are under the order of SATAN. Let them all go to HELL and entertain the devils demons.
Frankly, I am ashamed that Elijah Cummings represents part of the state of MD.
He’s an embarrassment of the first order. He’s not the least bit interested in the truth.
My understanding
(from the Washington Examiner - http://washingtonexaminer.com/examiner-editorial-lois-lerner-stays-silent-to-protect-someone-outside-the-irs/article/2545145#.UxiFCqGbMOc.twitter)
is that if cited for Contempt of Congress, it would be up to Eric Holder whether or not to prosecute.
A lot of people here are asking for an independent investigator. Well guess who would select that person? Yes, Eric Holder.
Issa needs to cite her for Contempt of Congress, just to show that Holder won’t prosecute. Then there might be a SCOTUS case.
But calling for an independent investigation is just a trap to let the left investigate itself.
We are almost to the point that every avenue of jusice has been exhausted.
We are almost to the point that every avenue of jusice has been exhausted.
***
{{sigh}} You are so right. It breaks my heart.
You have to hand it to the left, though. They planned and executed this one brilliantly. Infiltrate all areas of cultural influence — education, media, any media specifically targeting children, religious institutions — and bring about the decay from within. Bloodless destruction of Western culture based on Judeo-Christian values.
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