BREAKING: Lois Lerner Refuses to Answer Questions Before Congress, Pleads the Fifth Again

Townhall.com ^ | March 5, 2014 | Katie Pavlich

[Kaslin]

Appearing in front of the House Oversight Committee Wednesday morning Lois Lerner, former head of tax exempt groups at the IRS, refused to answer questions asked by lawmakers by pleading the Fifth Amendment. Earlier this week, Lerner's attorney William Taylor confirmed to Committee members in an email that she would testify. Lerner was issued a subpoena last summer after admitting the IRS singled out conservative groups for extra scrutiny.

"On the advice of my counsel I respectfully exercise my fifth amendment right and decline to answer that question," Lerner said.

Last year, Lerner was called to testify in front of the same Committee where she also invoked her Fifth Amendment rights after making the statement, "I have not done anything wrong. I have not broken any laws, I have not violated any IRS rules or regulations and I have not provided false information to this or any other congressional committee." The Committee voted and concluded that because Lerner made a statement before pleading the Fifth, she effectively waved her Fifth Amendment rights.

When asked by Chairman Darrell Issa if she believed there wasn't a smidgen of corruption inside the IRS when it came to the inappropriate targeting of tea party and conservative groups, Lerner answered, "On the advice of my counsel I respectfully exercise my fifth amendment right and decline to answer that question."

The Committee hearing was quickly dismissed after Issa put contempt charges for Lerner on the table.

"Ladies and gentlemen, seeking the truth is the duty of this committee and I see no point in moving forward," Issa said. "We're adjourned, close it down."

This post has been updated.

[headstamp 2]

“Congress has already done that to Holder and nothing has happened. Obama has been punking the GOP the same way Putin has been punking Obama.”

So true. It fully illustrates the shape that the national GOP is in.

[MrB]

Limit the immunity to be revoked at any point she refuses to cooperate with the investigation.

[chris37]

Grats, Issa, you look like the f***ing useless idiot that you are AGAIN.

Woooooo, good show, encore!

[pepsi_junkie]

Put her in jail. Now that would make news even on the alphabet channels.

"In national news, a republican led hearing on the IRS has led to the unconstitutional jailing of one former government official. The recently retired official, Lois Lerner, had invoked her right to not testify about sensitive IRS work in identifying fraudulent non-profit organizations. In a move critics are calling an unprecedented partisan act, the republican led committee had her jailed in violation of the 5th amendment. She remains in a cell tonight. The committee chair, Republican Congressman Daryl Issa could not be reached for comment. However earlier today Senator Chuck Schumer had this to say..."

[pgkdan]

There’s two ways to change a country’s direction. Ballots and bullets. I’ve always believed in ballots. No more.

[TankerKC]

We need to get the apolitical interested in this. Here’s my Facebook post today:

Facebook is mainly a place to keep up with old friends and family. In that vein, I’ve tried to limit my political posts.

But, today I have to say something to all of my friends, because EVERY US citizen needs to recognize this:

FOR THE BETTER PART OF TWO YEARS (OR MORE), THE IRS WAS TARGETING CONSERVATIVE GROUPS.

Fact.

If you are not aware of this issue, I urge you to research it. Start with the Google searches “Lois Lerner” and “not even a smidgen”.

If you will tolerate this, what other forms of government corruption and suppression will you support?

First they came…

[Graewoulf]

1.) What did the next Speaker of the House, Trey Gowdy, say at the hearing or to reporters?

2.) Why are we surprised that RINO Obamacrat Issa was surprised? DUH!

[LostPassword]

Republicans need a campaign ad like

The government can't assume you did something wrong and throw you in jail when you plead the fifth. But individuals/citizens/voters can assume you're hiding evidence of a crime since the Bill of Rights is a limit on government, not individuals. Vote R to reduce the crime in DC - we may be incompetent but we aren't criminals.

Maybe the ad can teach some people that the Bill of Rights is a restriction of government not a restriction of individuals vis-a-vis each other. There seems to be a lot of misunderstanding of the BoR with people thinking that those freedoms restrict businesses and individuals as much as the government (YOU don't have freedom of religion or speech on my property - I do. so don't say I'm violating your rights when I throw you out).
Maybe a whole series of "schoolhouse rock" type educational ads of things Ds do wrong. Obama making up and changing laws. Holder ignoring laws and telling states they can ignore laws. Administration officials refusing subpoenas and other obstructions of Congress. Show people the real reasons DC hasn't been working the last few years (it's not the "republicans saying no")

[usurper]

Is Holder subject to impeachment?

Yes but only by Harry Reid's Senate.

[Bigun]

WE are never again going to be a truly FREE people for so long as we continue to abide the Marxist income tax and the IRS!!! http://fairtax.org

[morphing libertarian]

not holding my breath

[kitchen]

Some here state that any federal employee who invokes the 5th regarding their job activities is supposed to be terminated.

I felt that was a pretty fair outcome, but then found out they were referring to being fired.

[DannyTN]

I think they have the right to invoke the fifth. But I agree they can be fired.

[Sacajaweau]

I see the right in the constitution and of course I believe in it. I just don’t see how you can use it when you are an employee of the US gov.. You are a representative at this point.

[kitchen]

I was thinking in the vernacular, rather than the Human Resources use of terminate.

[DannyTN]

I understood your meaning of terminate and why you were disappointed.

[William Tell]

DannyTN said: "I'm torn on the fifth amendment rights issue."

Let's check the source, the Fifth Amendment:
"...[No person] shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, ..."

I don't see anything here which states that you must remain completely silent in order to have a Fifth Amendment right not to be compelled to testify against one's self.

These same legal tyrants who would claim so, will also claim that you must identify yourself, for example; that is, they compel you to speak and would not hesitate to charge you for obstruction if you claimed an identity not your own. THAT is the very essence of requiring one to testify against one's self.

Lerner said she did nothing wrong and evidently said so under oath(?). If so, then the proper charge is perjury if it can be proved that she did do something wrong and intentionally lied about it.

Without unconditional immunity which applies in every jurisdiction in the world, there should be no way to punish someone for failing to testify. Then there are further complications which apply to privileged communications with one's spouse, doctor, priest, or lawyer.

[DannyTN]

I agree with you.

But apparently there is a long standing court tradition that if you start answering questions you waive your right to the fifth. And supposedly that's to protect the right to cross examine. You can't present one side in court and then shut down when the opposing attorneys start questioning.

That's what Issa and committee are trying to apply here, basically claiming that the congressional hearing is a court and the same rules apply.

But I disagree. Unless she's been indicted and it's clearly a trial, then I think she can refuse.