She is one mean looking broad. She would have fit right in with Stalin’s regime.
She testified that she didn’t do anything wrong, and then said she wasn’t going to testify.
It’s my understanding that once you testify at all, you lose your ability to claim the fifth.
Wasn’t her opening statement an act of testifying?
To claim the fifth, she should have taken a pass on the statement she made, and simply said she couldn’t testify because it might be self-incriminating.
I was watching that play out and saying to my self OMG Issa that was brilliant! He can now compel her to testify. She is an attorney she knew or should have known. They could hold her in contempt.
To my mind and I’d dare say an honest prosecutor, judge and jury’s mind, an opening a statement that “I did nothing wrong, illegal or otherwise” is Testimony. Further invocations of protecting oneself from self-incrimination are of lesser standing.
Whether she answered questions or not, she was “on the stand” and her statements should be used against her at trial.
She did exactly as she was instructed.
And so did Issa.
Everyone did their job.
Well, maybe not Gowdy.
But that will be noted and dealt with when the opportunity presents itself.
Really?
Don`t get it yet?
” The law ( constitution ) is irrelevant ! “
They`re saying out loud what they`ve been practicing since FDR, the law/constitution is whatever they say it is. They will adhere to the law/constitution only when it serves their ideology.
Taking the 5th is something that people with something to hide...or something to fear....do.Innocent people don't do it...regardless of how vigorously they're advised to do so by lawyers or others.
Give her immunity...and then force her to sing.
they are cheering in the WH just as they did on the streets throughout the Mideast after 9/11.
Lerner should dress in leathers, and take full advantage of her bulldyke persona.
and then watch Osama Obama & Pals squirm
Rush was saying today it really doesn’t matter.
She will get promoted after it all dies down, and nothing will happen.
When Rush says this, you know that the game is near over.
No doubt, this attorney told her that she was above the law just like the pos presbo and his enforcer, holder.
I want to know why they didn’t make her stay plead the 5th for a number of questions...e.g., did you communicate with WH, etc. It would have had a great impact on TV for a IRS official to repeatedly plead the 5th.
The dems would have done it if the shoe was on the other foot. Why the hell didn’t Issa and the republicans?!
Any answer she gives to any question, and anything in the content of her statement under oath CAN be used against her. But giving the statement does not mean that she waived her right to invoke the 5th amendment to any subsequent question.
This might be a relevant case to consider for Issa’s actions:
Ohio v. Reiner (2001)
Link: http://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/532/17/case.pdf
In this case the defendant claimed she had violated no laws and then took the 5th. This was a “shaken baby syndrome” case.
The SCOTUS sided with her and noted that if a defendent believes they are innocent but believes that answering questions could incriminate themselves under ambiguous circumstances, then they are entitled to the 5th.
I disagree that the stigma associated with a dead baby applies to Lerner. I don’t think that there is a gray area with Lerner. But Issa was wise to avoid going there without a better review Ohio v. Reiner.
She knew what she was doing. Yes, her opening statement will be purged, but none of the bells can be unrung.