House Oversight Committee Holds ex-IRS Official Lois Lerner in Contempt … Full House Vote to Follow

LOIS LERNER HELD IN CONTEMPT …

The House Oversight Committee voted 21-12 yesterday to hold former IRS official Lois Lerner in contempt for her refusal to answer questions regarding her role in the targeting of non-profit Conservative and Tea Party groups. The vote was along party lines. Democrats will rue the day that they voted in favor of defending Lois Lerner and the IRS controversy of specifically and intentionally targeting conservative groups. A note to Democrats voters, next time it could be you. As reported at Mediaite, Committee Chairman Darrell Issa said that they “need Ms. Lerner’s testimony to complete our oversight work and bring truth to the American people,” and they took the vote just a day after the House Ways and Means Committee sent a letter to the Justice Department recommending they consider criminal charges for Lerner. Don’t hold your breathe that Eric Holder will do anything. Lerner evoked her 5th Amendment Rights, not once, but twice … but not before she made a statement before the committee stating her innocence.

“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.”

A House panel voted along party lines to hold ex-IRS official Lois Lerner in contempt of Congress on Thursday, paving the way for a full House vote as Republicans turn up the heat on the woman at the center of the controversy over tax-exempt tea party groups.

If approved by the full House as expected, it would be one of about a dozen congressional contempt votes in the past 35 years. Republicans voted to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt over the Fast and Furious matter in 2012.

The House Oversight Committee voted 21-12 along in a straight party line vote to hold Lerner in contempt for refusing to answer questions about her role in the IRS tea party scandal that erupted last May. The full House is expected to follow suit in the coming weeks. Democrats compared the process to the 1950s when Sen. Joe McCarthy directed a series of contempt votes on Americans who refused questioning about what he called their “un-American” activities.

“We need Ms. Lerner’s testimony to complete our [investigation],” said Oversight Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.). “Taxpayers don’t get to plead the Fifth [Amendment] and escape all accountability when the IRS audits them. … It would irresponsible for the committee not to vigorously pursue her testimony.”