Posted on 04/10/2014 10:34:36 AM PDT by Jim Robinson
A House committee voted Thursday to hold Lois Lerner in contempt of Congress, as Republicans escalated their bid to "get to the bottom" of the former IRS official's role in the political targeting scandal.
The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee voted 21-12 to hold Lerner in contempt. The party-line vote followed hours of heated debate on the committee.
The contempt measure heads next 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.
Both committee actions divided Republicans and Democrats, who have decried the steps against Lerner as unwarranted and political.
Democrats argue that Lerner properly invoked her Fifth Amendment right not to testify last year, and again last month.
"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. Stephen Lynch, D-Mass., said the case would "be laughed out of court."
But Republicans, in bringing up the contempt measure, claim Lerner waived her Fifth...
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
well pal what about inherent contempt?
what is the duty of the US Attorney for DC?
“according to the law it is the “duty” of the U.S. Attorney to refer the matter to a grand jury for action”
as usual you report part of the story...
..........if Congress arrested her and actually held her in their jail it would likely speed up the court system...........otherwise it will drag on for years.............
Who conducts the proceedings of a grand jury?
This loser: http://www.justice.gov/usao/dc/about/meetattorney.html
A grand jury composed of jurors from a jurisdiction where Obama got 91% of the vote.
As usual you tell part of the story. But now you know, the REST of the story.
ROFLMAO so you admit your democrat buddies put their agenda above the law!
ROFLMAO.
It is YOU who is naïve enough to believe that your left wing Democrat U.S. Attorney for D.C. buddy who was appointed by Barack Obama would do his “DUTY.”
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.