The only time in that hearing Issa followed advice of counsel. That said... he should then have ruled she had waiver her 5th Amendment rights by so stating and answering. And the look of her attorney-— he knew it.
The next step, right then was to continue to ask questions, and then when she refused, cite her for contempt, actionable contempt. And.. firing. She must answer.
I tend to disagree. Solely because this was not a courtroom and it will inevitably be played out in the press.
Had Issa gone on to your "next step", asking further questions and then, "when she refused, citing her for contempt" -- nobody in the media audience (or in the media)would've understood.
Now, when Lerner is recalled...and refuses to testify...and is warned of contempt...the media audience will understand why.
Certainly, you can argue whether Issa and the Republicans have used this "pause for effect" to effectively establish the parameters of the 5th Amendment in the public mind. But I believe it was appropriate for them to defer the issue.
So very much of what the Republicans (and we) are fighting -- day in, day out -- is caused by a MSM that has degenerated into a Ministry of Propaganda and can no longer be relied upon to inform the public correctly.
For some years, I have asserted that the Unnited States of America faces three enemies:
1. Domestic radicals.
2. Islamic terrorists
3. The so-called Mainstream Media.
< And, of these three enemies, the most dangerous is the MSM. Because, were it not for the MSM, the other two enemies would've been defeated ten years ago.