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Lois Lerner didn’t say anything today. Why that’s a bad thing for the Obama Administration.
WaPo ^ | May 22, 2013 at 2:58 pm | Chris Cillizza

Posted on 05/22/2013 12:10:59 PM PDT by Red Steel

Oh Lois Lerner, you say it best when you say nothing at all.

As expected, Lerner, the head of the Internal Revenue Service’s tax-exempt office, pled the Fifth Amendment rather than testify today in front of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee about her role in the targeting of conservative groups.

In her silence — she technically didn’t refuse to testify but rather she invoked her right to not incriminate herself — Lerner may have done herself some good, legally speaking, but she didn’t do any favors for an Obama Administration that is doing all it can to snuff the controversy out.

Here’s why.

First of all, Lerner has been, from the get-go, the face of this scandal. But now she is the face AND the voice of it. After today, the entire country — or at least those people paying some attention to the news — will have seen the clip of Lerner saying that she had “not done anything wrong” just before she invoked her right not to answer questions from members of Congress.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Front Page News; Government
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1 posted on 05/22/2013 12:10:59 PM PDT by Red Steel
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To: Red Steel

Josh Marshall (10:15a.m.): Lerner Must Go talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2013/… Ezra Klein (9:45a.m.): Heads should roll at IRS washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog…— John McCormack (@McCormackJohn) May 22, 2013


2 posted on 05/22/2013 12:13:04 PM PDT by Perdogg (Sen Ted Cruz, Sen Mike Lee, and Sen Rand Paul are my adoptive Senators)
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To: Red Steel

If you didn’t do anything wrong then why not testify?


3 posted on 05/22/2013 12:14:39 PM PDT by doc
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To: Red Steel

Can she take the fifth if she is sued in civil court? You can find out a lot more in a civil proceeding than a criminal.


4 posted on 05/22/2013 12:15:13 PM PDT by Mamzelle
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To: Mamzelle

She deprived thousands of people their First Amendment rights of Speech and Association.

They are suing.

Drag this b*tch through courts for the rest of her life.


5 posted on 05/22/2013 12:17:54 PM PDT by Uncle Miltie ("The White House can't be trusted." - Ron Fournier, National Journal)
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To: Red Steel
I'm not a lawyer...or a political strategist...but if the Chairman of that Committee (Is it Rep Issa?) proposes that she be given immunity that might just be even worse for our Community Organizer-In-Chief.
6 posted on 05/22/2013 12:18:05 PM PDT by Gay State Conservative (Leno Was Right,They *Are* Undocumented Democrats!)
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To: Red Steel

But she says she did nothing wrong. Alrighty then, let’s move on.


7 posted on 05/22/2013 12:20:06 PM PDT by Huskrrrr
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To: Gay State Conservative

She would need witness protection and plastic surgery to go along with her immunity. It’s the Chicago Way, doncha know.


8 posted on 05/22/2013 12:20:18 PM PDT by tgusa (gun control: deep breath, sight alignment, squeeze the trigger .......)
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To: Red Steel

She’s in ‘protect 0bama’ mode. Trey Gowdy was the only conscious person in the room and called her on making a proclamation while at the same time pleading the 5th. She essentially testified then said she wouldn’t. One strike against Issa.


9 posted on 05/22/2013 12:20:20 PM PDT by GeorgeWashingtonsGhost
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To: Gay State Conservative

I say get the Federal Marshalls or the Capitol police to arrest this woman and send her to Gitmo until she speaks about her terrorist activities against the American people.


10 posted on 05/22/2013 12:20:29 PM PDT by Zuben Elgenubi
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To: Huskrrrr
But she says she did nothing wrong. Alrighty then, let’s move on.

Does this mean I can "move on" if - when called in for an IRS audit - I simply say "I did nothing wrong."

11 posted on 05/22/2013 12:21:08 PM PDT by Steely Tom (If the Constitution can be a living document, I guess a corporation can be a person.)
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To: Mamzelle
Can she take the fifth if she is sued in civil court?

I don't think you can "take the 5th" in a civil court because there's no prospect of a *criminal* conviction.I think you can refuse to testify but doing so,at the very least,places your chances of victory at risk.and if you're found to have *perjured* yourself in a civil proceeding...well,just refer to Jones v Clinton.

12 posted on 05/22/2013 12:21:26 PM PDT by Gay State Conservative (Leno Was Right,They *Are* Undocumented Democrats!)
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To: Red Steel
 photo sil.jpg
13 posted on 05/22/2013 12:22:08 PM PDT by baddog 219
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To: Mamzelle
Can she take the fifth if she is sued in civil court? You can find out a lot more in a civil proceeding than a criminal.

No. The 5th ONLY applies to criminal charges. It has no bearing at all in civil cases.
14 posted on 05/22/2013 12:23:55 PM PDT by Signalman
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To: Red Steel

Incredible comments on that WaPo story.

“Effort by Bush era holdovers in IRS to embarrass the administration”

I have to say the huge squad of internet posters on the Baraqqi staff are quick to respond.....


15 posted on 05/22/2013 12:24:34 PM PDT by nascarnation (Baraq's economic policy: trickle up poverty)
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To: Red Steel

I didn’t do anything wrong = I did not have sex with that woman.


16 posted on 05/22/2013 12:25:37 PM PDT by NTHockey (Rules of engagement #1: Take no prisoners)
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To: Steely Tom

“Does this mean I can “move on” if - when called in for an IRS audit - I simply say “I did nothing wrong.””

Actually, tax court is the only place where you must prove your innocence. Reasonable doubt is not enough.


17 posted on 05/22/2013 12:26:20 PM PDT by Gen.Blather
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To: Red Steel

We need to find out more about the Washington legal office that Lerner’s group was collaborating with on these cases.


18 posted on 05/22/2013 12:26:52 PM PDT by DannyTN
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To: GeorgeWashingtonsGhost

He’s correcting that right now.


19 posted on 05/22/2013 12:28:48 PM PDT by firebrand
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To: firebrand

Calling her back. Recessed, not adjourned.


20 posted on 05/22/2013 12:29:37 PM PDT by firebrand
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