IRS hearing explodes, Republicans inch toward contempt

POLITICO.COM ^ | 3/5/2014 | Rachael Bade

[FreeAtlanta]

Republicans are inching toward a vote to hold former IRS official Lois Lerner in contempt of Congress after fireworks erupted at a House hearing on the tea party targeting on Wednesday. Lerner, former head of the IRS tax-exempt unit and a lightning rod for Republicans in the nine-month-old scandal, invoked her Fifth Amendment right to refuse to answer self-incriminating questions at a House Oversight and Government Reform hearing — as she did at a May hearing last year.

Across the Capitol campus, Speaker John Boehner threatened to hold her in contempt if she continues to refuse to testify.

“I’ll wait for a report from [House Oversight] Chairman [Darrell] Issa about what happened and what will happen, but at some point … she has to testify or she should be held in contempt,” the Ohio Republican said at a news conference after a closed party meeting Wednesday.

Article Link: IRS hearing explodes, Republicans inch toward contempt - Rachael Bade - POLITICO.com (http://www.politico.com/story/2014/03/irs-hearing-lois-lerner-contempt-104293.html)

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[grumpygresh]

Lerner will be protected by the GOP-e and the commies; the common enemy is the Tea-Party.

[WomBom]

It is!???????

[TurboZamboni]

They millimeter.(not 9, either-that’s scary)

[chris37]

Inch?

I would say more like millimetering, but I don’t think they are actually moving at all.

[The Antiyuppie]

” Boehner would have gaveled the House into session a few minutes after the hearing ended and passed the contempt citation, forcing the Dems to go on the record supporting corruption of the IRS in an election year.”

There’s plenty of 2014 to go before November, and the public has the long-term memory of a fruit fly. Patience. The wheels of justice grind slowly, but they grind exceedingly fine.

One of the following things will happen by November; Lerner will be looking at long-term housing in the Graybar Hotel, she will sing, or she will have an unfortunate car accident/heart attack, no doubt due to all of the stress those nasty Tea Partiers brought down upon her.

[The Antiyuppie]

“I think Holder has already been found in contempt (for failure to turn over documents). You can see what an impact it had on him.”

That’s not going to look good on his resume’.

[LALALAW]

Lerner will be Fostered before she ever testifies.

[TigersEye]

Why hasn't Cummings been held in contempt?

Conservative files abuse of power complaint against Dem. Rep. Elijah Cummings February 7, 2014

According to Engelbrecht, Cummings used his power to harass and intimidate True the Vote and may have encouraged the IRS and other agencies to target her organizations.

"Congressman Cummings on three separate occasions sent letters on letterhead from this committee, stating that he had concerns and felt it necessary to open an investigation on True the Vote," she said.

TOP DEMOCRAT Elijah Cummings Admits Corruption and Abuse of Power at IRS (VIdeo) May 22, 2013

[GeronL]

They are inching? Weird

[TigersEye]

Republicans are worms that measure Marigolds.

[skinkinthegrass]

!

[vette6387]

“One of the following things will happen by November; Lerner will be looking at long-term housing in the Graybar Hotel, she will sing, or she will have an unfortunate car accident/heart attack, no doubt due to all of the stress those nasty Tea Partiers brought down upon her.”

Or maybe a pleasant single-engine plane ride in Hawaii.

[Diogenesis]

G.O.P. = Give Obama (Supreme) Power.

The GOP, and Romney and Issa, are responsible for mess.

[catfish1957]

If and when it all comes out, I think it will be found that the Obama admin ran a "get the enemy" campaign that will make Nixon look like a boy scout.

I think what we are seeing from Lehner is the 1 millimeter slice at the very top of the iceberg

[elcid1970]

Real question: has Congress opened an official investigation of criminal conduct by the IRS, with the goal of reaching findings that would lead to a Federal indictment?

IIRC, only refusal to testify under subpoena in an ongoing criminal investigation can result in being held in contempt of Congress. Like what happened to G. Gordon Liddy in the 1970’s.

It’s also a matter of political will by the House majority. The GOP-E hasn’t got it.

[MrB]

Lerner and Holder: Oh, they’re going to hold me in contempt? I’ll try to get over it. Oh, wait, I already have.