Posted on 05/22/2013 11:14:32 AM PDT by RoosterRedux
Marshall writes that he "was chatting with people yesterday" who said civil service rules may make it "extremely difficult or even impossible" to fire Lerner. Doing so because she exercised her rights under the Fifth Amendment would be unconstitutional.
*snip*
The White House seems to have an inkling it can't fire Lerner: Klein as well as Marshall emphasized the stringency of civil-service rules. But encouraging the public to draw adverse conclusions from her assertion of her rights under the Fifth Amendment would have a similar effect of turning her into a scapegoat.
The American people have a right to know both how deep and how high the corruption of our government runs. The White House has an interest in minimizing the scandal, and surely that is Obama's objective if he is trying to throw Lerner under the bus. Let's reserve judgment on her and make sure not to let off the hook the man whose re-election the IRS's abuse of power helped to advance.
*snip*
As we've argued, the scandal is actually much worse if the IRS was acting without guidance from the White House. A corrupt administration can be ousted through resignation or impeachment, as in 1974. If the IRS and other permanent institutions of government are fundamentally corrupt, reforming them would be much more complicated and effortful.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
You don’t “allow” someone to plead the 5th. Its a right.
To avoid going to the slammer.
"IF?"
FBI will question her while she is holding a letter opener. Oops, the officer felt threatened.
Gunner
Executive Order 10491. She’s fired.
You are correct. On the other hand, she took, at the least, an unorthodox approach to doing it.
Isn't it ironic that the 5th amendment is the basis for the argument that the IRS cannot compel anyone to file tax returns?
Gee...I doubt that.Far more likely to see her take a page or two out of Susan MacDougal's autobiography.
I tend to agree with Trey Gowdy on this one.
You don’t testify to your innocence and then take the 5th.
“Perhaps to protect herself from Obama.”........
I said that from the “get-go”. Obama will cut and gut anyone who goes agains’t him. While I think she needs to testify, she is only trying to keep her cushy gubmint job. IMO, she is indeed hiding info damning to Odumbo and Hitlary.
I agree. And Gowdy is a future Attorney General... at least.
The 5th Amendment isn’t there to protect the innocent. It is there so you aren’t required to give the prosecutor ammunition against you.
Ping!
Those folks down in the belly of the beast do their jobs as instructed. Getting fired, or even counseled, when you've done what you were directed to do, is appealable to the MSPB.
You really can't have a top director in your office who is out pleading the Fifth if you have an appeal on the way to MSPB ~ but that's what just happened. I'd be demanding a full hearing, with witnesses, and the management team available for interrogation ~ and that could be much more damaging to Lerner than Obama.
She already blamed the unsermensch anyway ~ and the way this one is going to turn out is Lerner's personal income is going to be lost, her retirement forfeit, and Michael R. Miles her hubby, a partner at the law firm Sutherland Asbill & Brennan, will suddenly become an awful lot less popular ~ his access into IRS having been erased. Guy might actually have to find a real job beyond being a rainmaker for the firm.
I recall Jeffrey Levitt in the Maryland Savings and Loan disaster ~ his wife Karol had a form of hording mentality ~ 17 cars, gold and silver bric a brac everywhere, and an enormous appetite. The press turned them into a clown show ~ if they weren't already. I see that happening to Miles and Lerner ~
If you’re innocent, how can you “self incriminate??”
As another FReeper said earlier.
Its like Jeffry Dahmer saying “Yes I have meat in my freezer, I’d like to plead the 5th.”
“You don’t “allow” someone to plead the 5th. Its a right.”
She testified by making a statement on her behalf and then gave the committee the finger and walked out. She knows she’s above the law just like the rest of this administration-—and NO ONE can do anything about it with holder, the enforcer, having the kings’ back.
You only take the Fifth when you are actively involved in criminal activity ....note when you take the Fifth you KNOW you are criminally culpable
Only positive from this today was Trey Gowdy. Someone in the GOP who is not invertibrate
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