Charles Krauthammer on IRS Scandal: This is Why It Has Legs … “This Thing Will Go On and It Could Be Fatal”

IRS SCANDAL HAS LEGS … IT WILL NOT GO AWAY, COULD BE FATAL.

Syndicated columnists Charles Krauthammer commented on the IRS targeting scandal on Tuesday during ’Special Report’ after yet another day of hearings that has only fueled the fire for all individuals, Democrats and republicans alike. Krauthammer explained, this is why this scandal has legs. First, everybody is outraged as everybody knows what the ITS can do and everyone is afraid of it. Second, now you have some one who is going to pleads the 5th and that has the appearance that the IRS is hiding something. Last, Democrats are up in arms as well as Republicans.

“Yes, the Republicans are up in arms but the Democrats are too. This thing will go on and it could be fatal.”

Kirsten Powers: Obama Admin Treats Whistleblowers As Criminals, Leakers As Heroes … “If he’s so offended by this, who has been fired?”

“I actually haven’t seen the president express real outrage other than giving lip service to it.”

It would appear that Kirtsen Powers has lost that loving feeling for Barack Obama. It took the scandal against the media for Powers to finally come to the reality that Barack Obama is more “Nixionian” than Messiah. Powers, a liberal and served in the Clinton administration, has had it with Obama and is calling him on his bull$hit. Obama claims he is a protector of the First Amendment, all the while they are spying on reporters. Powers stated on Fox News ‘Special Report,’ “I just think it’s incredible that he can stand up there and say that, he’s a fierce defender of the First Amendment which he’s said before as the press secretary of an administration that’s spying on reporters. And if he’s so offended by this, who has been fired? Why are heads not rolling over this.” When you can get a liberal like Kirsten Powers to finally admit that “Everything is completely upside down here,” when it comes to Barack Obama and his administration … Obama has a huge problem. The MSM, the very people who have defended, deflected and provided a disservice to America is covering Obama, have now turned on him as they have learned, if it can be FOX News, it probably has been them as well. This is the second scandal when it has come to how the Obama administration has dealt with the media. What are the odds this is just the tip of the iceberg as well?

click on picture to listen

From Real Clear Politics:

Kirsten Powers: : I just think it’s incredible that he can stand up there and say that, he’s a fierce defender of the First Amendment which he’s said before as the press secretary of an administration that’s spying on reporters. And if he’s so offended by this, who has been fired? Why are heads not rolling over this?

I actually haven’t seen the president express real outrage other than giving lip service to it. And I also think that you have to remember we’re focused on the media because we’re media, but there are a lot of regular people who are whistle blowers who have had their lives turned upside down by this administration. The same administration who said they treat whistleblowers as criminal but then people who leak information like Stuxnet or the kill list or Osama bin Laden information are heroes because they make President Obama look like some super human protector of America. Everything is completely upside down here. (Special Report, May 21, 2013)

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) Calls for Independent Investigation For IRS Scandal, Says Obama is “Passive” and “Detached” … “Not Going to Fly with the Public”

US Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) calls for an independent investigation into the IRS scandals. Paul said, “I think in order for government to gain its trust back, someone needs to be fired, someone needs to be held responsible, and, if it’s criminal, someone needs to go to jail.” Rand Paul called Obama on his claims that he was outraged. If that is the case, what is he going to do about this scandal that has rocked the publics trust in the government? The call for an independent investigation seems even more appropriate to get to the bottom of this scandal as we learned yesterday that Lois Lerner, the woman in charge of the IRS division that reviewed the non-profit organizations and at the heart of the scandal of the IRS targeting conservative and Tea Party group will plead the 5th today at House hearings.

How is the public ever going to have trust in the government if only low level and scape goats are held accountable? These people work for us, not the other way around and the public demands answers. Isn’t it ironic that Lois Lerner hides behind her 5th Amendment rights protected by the US Constitution as she refuses to answer questions that her IRS division stepped all over conservative and Tea Parties Constitutional rights.

“He says he’s outraged, and that’s fine, but we need to see him do something,” Senator Rand Paul said of President Obama’s lack of action on the IRS’s targeting of conservative groups. He described the president as “detached” and “passive in all of this.”

Top IRS Official Lois Lerner will Invoke 5th Amendment and Not Answer House Committee Questions on IRS Scandal

Oh this will go over well with “We the People” … Let’s see Obama’s faux outrage now.

The Los Angeles Times is reporting that Lois Lerner, the top IRS official and head of the exempt organizations division of the IRS responsible for reviewing non-profit organizations and the department at the heart of the IRS scandal, will plead the 5th Amendment and refuse to answer House committee questions on the grounds of self incrimination. Lerner was scheduled to answer questions from the House Oversight committee this Wednesday. Her attorney, William W. Taylor III, wrote that Ms. Lerner had committed no crime or made any misrepresentations, but because the Department of Justice has launched a criminal investigation, “under the circumstances she has no choice but to take this course.”

So what does she have to hide? This scandal just got even more real.  The House committee was to ask Lerner to explain why she provided “false or misleading information” to the committee four times last year? Taylor, a criminal defense attorney for Learner asked that since Lerner is not going to answer questions, can she be excused from appearing, saying that would “have no purpose other than to embarrass or burden her.” WHO CARES WHAT IT DOES TO HER! With the crap that the IRS did to law-abiding Americans whose only crime was being conservative under her watch, I agree with the Jawa Report, “Boo frickin hoo, make her plead the Fifth for all to see”. Honesty, who really thinks that Holder and the DOJ is going to take this investigation seriously? About as serious as they did the New Black Panther Party and voter intimidation. Congress and Daryl Issa best make her march her happy butt into the hearing room and have all the world to see the head of the very department responsible for the IRS scandal of targeting conservative and Tea Party groups plead the 5th.

A top IRS official in the division that reviews nonprofit groups will invoke the 5th Amendment and refuse to answer questions before a House committee investigating the agency’s improper screening of conservative nonprofit groups.

Lois Lerner, the head of the exempt organizations division of the IRS, won’t answer questions about what she knew about the improper screening — or why she didn’t disclose it to Congress, according to a letter from her defense lawyer, William W. Taylor III. Lerner was scheduled to appear before the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday.

“She has not committed any crime or made any misrepresentation but under the circumstances she has no choice but to take this course,” said a letter by Taylor to committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Vista). The letter, sent Monday, was obtained Tuesday by the Los Angeles Times.

UPDATE I: From Weasel Zippers, Daryl Issa does not disappoint … Issa Issues Subpoena Anyway to force her to plead the 5th in public for all of America to see. More great PR for Barack Obama, Democrats and the IRS.

Lois Lerner, the IRS official who headed the tax-exempt division when the targeting of tea-party groups took place, plans to invoke her Fifth Amendment right to refuse to answer questions before Congress on Wednesday.

But Republican Rep. Darrell Issa, the chairman of the House oversight committee where Lerner was to appear, has issued a subpoena to Lerner anyway.

The subpoena was delivered after the committee received the letter from Lerner’s attorney, a committee aide said.

Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) on IRS Scandal: “My Hunch is There us A Lot More Is Going to Come Out”

From the Democrat Senator who said, Obamacare is a train wreck” now thinks that the is much more to come out with the IRS scandal.

Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) stated on Bloomberg Government’s “Capitol Gains” TV show, “I have a hunch that a lot more is going to come out.”

Funny how when one announces their retirement that they suddenly speak the truth and tend to forget what they did in the past as a partisan politician. Baucus, who is now calling for Congressional hearings into the IRS scandals of targeting Tea Party and other Conservative groups was one of the very Senators who in the past was calling for them to be targeted. As the Gateway Pundit reminds us, Senator Baucus specifically called on the IRS to engage in the very conduct back in 2010 he is now distancing himself from. The rats are jumping off the ship. Just what does Max Baucus know?

From The Washington Examiner:

Senior Democratic Sen. Max Baucus, who recently slapped Obamacare as a “train wreck,” believes that the IRS scandal is just beginning and that “a lot more” damaging information will be revealed, likely at congressional hearings.

“I have a hunch that a lot more is going to come out, frankly,” Baucus, whose pending retirement seems to have freed him up to speak bluntly, told Bloomberg Government’s “Capitol Gains” TV show.

“It’s broader than the current focus. And I think it’s important that we have the hearings, and I think that will encourage other information to come out that has not yet come out. I suspect that we will learn more in the next several days, maybe the next couple three weeks which adds more context to all of this,” added Baucus, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee.

Even SNL (Seth Meyers & Amy Poehler) Mock Barack Obama and IRS Scandal, REALLY!?!

#REALLY?!?

How bad has it got for President Barack Obama and the IRS scandal? Even SNL could not avoid the scandal and mocked President Obama and his comments following his learning of the IRS targeting the Tea Party and other Conservative groups. Seth Meyers and Amy Poehler did their “Really!?! with Seth and Amy skit. Although they also took shots at the Tea Party, it was nothing compared to their mocking of the IRS and Barack Obama. Some of the better lines, “Really!?!, the government only keeps you around to make the DMV look good”. Wow, when even Saturday Night Live feels the obligation to make fun of a liberal president, Houston, Barack, you got a problem.

But the money line was, “And, really Obama you found out about this scandal from TV? You found out from TV? Really? I don’t want to live in a world where you have the same sources as my aunt!”

Really!?! Mr. President, you found out about the IRS scandal from the news media, too bad the White House Counsel was told weeks ago. So you are telling us they never told you, REALL!?! Who is running the show and what do you have working for you?

In the week of April 22, the Office of the White House Counsel and its head, Kathryn Ruemmler, were told by Treasury Department attorneys that an inspector general’s report was nearing completion, the White House official said. In that conversation, Ms. Ruemmler learned that “a small number of line IRS employees had improperly scrutinized certain…organizations by using words like ‘tea party’ and ‘patriot,’ ” the official said.

Obama’s White House Counsel Was Told of IRS Audit Findings Weeks Ago … And Obama Never Knew, Really?

How could Barack Obama not have know, is this administration that incompetent … or that corrupt?

As reported at the WSJ, the Barack Obama White House counsel was told weeks ago by the Treasury Department that an IRS audit would show that Internal Revenue employees targeted conservative and Tea Party groups. This further provides more speculation and disbelief in the comment that President Obama made in that he only learned about the IRS audit when the media reported it. That is pretty much almost impossible to believe.  How could legal advisors to the president not provide crisis control and give Obama a heads up as to the audit? The investigation was not at the beginning, it was at its conclusion.

LIAR, LIAR – The Castaways

The White House’s chief lawyer learned weeks ago that an audit of the Internal Revenue Service likely would show that agency employees inappropriately targeted conservative groups, a senior White House official said Sunday.

That disclosure has prompted a debate over whether the president should have been notified at that time.

In the week of April 22, the Office of the White House Counsel and its head, Kathryn Ruemmler, were told by Treasury Department attorneys that an inspector general’s report was nearing completion, the White House official said. In that conversation, Ms. Ruemmler learned that “a small number of line IRS employees had improperly scrutinized certain…organizations by using words like ‘tea party’ and ‘patriot,’ ” the official said.

President Barack Obama said last week he learned about the controversy at the same time as the public, on May 10, when an IRS official revealed it to a conference of lawyers. The president’s statement drew criticism, focusing attention on his management style and whether he has kept himself sufficiently informed about the agencies under his authority.

As American Power opines, Hey, I guess there’s something to be said for incompetence. “We’re not dishonest, just bloody stupid.” But as American Power, I also believe that Obama was in the loop and this is just their latest way to hide from the truth. If it was the truth that Obama found out when the American public did, how frightening is that? However, no one really believe that. Honestly, there is no way a little birdy did not tell him long before this. Let alone, it is also hard to believe that so many government entities could have targeted conservative groups and their not have been executive coordination.

Obama Top Aid Pfeiffer on IRS Scandal, “the Law Is Irrelevant” … Also, “It’s Largely Irrelevant” Who Doctored Benghazi Talking Points

MISSION STATEMENT FOR OABMA ADMINISTRATION: THE LAW IS IRRELEVANT …

Obama aide Dan Pfeiffer was asked on TV this morning on ABC’s ‘This Week,’ whether he thought the IRS actions violated the law. Pfeiffer’s answer was rather telling, especially as he was put on all the Sunday talk shows to difuse the numerous scandals that have affected Barack Obama. Pfeiffer said, , “the Law Is Irrelevant”. HUH? Basically, the Daily Caller opines that his talking points were pretty much the same on all of the talk shows, “that the details were ‘irrelevant’ and Obama wants to make sure this doesn’t happen again.” Doesn’t this seem to be a pattern for Barack Obama? Whether its “Fast & Furious,” “Benghazi,” “IRS scandal, or any Obama blatant disregard for the law and the US Constitution, his attitude is the same … so what how it happened, let’s just not let it happen again. or in his case, don’t get caught having it happen. Pfeiffer also said on CBS ‘Face the Nation,’ “The question isn’t ‘Who edited what talking points/’ That’s largely irrelevant. (VIDEO)”

Many believe that the Obama presidency has been a lawless one, and the fact that the IRS purposely attacked Conservative organizations and fast-tracked liberal ones during an election year does nothing but add fuel to the fire. Now we have a top Obama aid making of the worst possible comments, especially since the IRS did break the law. The law is irrelevant? This may actually be the mission statement of the Obama Administration.

“Look, I can’t speak to the law here,” he said. “The law is irrelevant. The activity was outrageous and inexcusable.”

Where Was Obama During Benghazi Attack? Top Obama Official Dan Pfeiffer Says, “I Don’t Remember What Room Obama Was In. It’s a Largely Irrelevant Fact”

WHERE WAS BARACK OBAMA DURING THE BENGHAZI ATTACK WHERE 4 AMERICANS DIED? WHAT HAPPENED TO TRANSPARANCY?

Did you catch this mornings FOX News Sunday interview of Obama top aid Dan Pfeiffer and Chris Wallace? If you did, you heard Pfeiffer trip over himself and get very defensive when Wallace asked the question as to where President Obama was during the attack.  Pfeffer said that the president was kept up to date as to the situation in Benghazi. Wallace countered with, “what did he do that night” and ”where was he?”. Was he in the Situation Room?  As stated at the Weekly Standard, Dan Pfeiffer responded, ”I don’t remember what room Obama was in. It’s a largely irrelevant fact.” HUH? Pfeiffer just admitted that Obama was not in the Situation Room, otherwise he would have said he was there.

Pfeiffer just showed how thin-skinned, defensive, and evasive the Obama administration is. Instead of answering the question with a simple answer as to where Obama was, Pfeiffer has to come up with excuses and blame Republicans for conspiracy theories.  Wallace says, here is the point, the Ambassador goes missing, the first one in 30 years in killed. Four Americans, including the Ambassador are killed. Dozens of Americans are in jeopardy. The president at 4 pm says to the Chairman of the Joint Forces deploy forces, yet no forces are deployed. Where is he when all this was going on?  Pfeifer then did his best to master the five d’s of dodgeball: dodge, duck, dip, dive and dodge!

Pfeiffer says, “The suggestion of your question that some how the president allowed this to happen”. Well, if the disengaged president fits, WEAR IT! It’s obvious the Obama administration does not want to provide the truth. The idea that Obama was sleeping while Americans died would not go over well with “We the People”.

Why cant Barack Obama or any of his minions answer the simple question, What did Obama know and when did he know it? The Obama administration is trying to make light of the Benghazi attacks, which is shameful in its own right. Legal Insurrection reminds of Obama’s own words, there appears to be a lot of “THERE, THERE“.  What a way to deflect and try and make the Benghazi story go away, pretend like the death of four Americans, including the death of a US Ambassador is no big deal.  From the PJ Tatler, “Hillary Clinton wondered what difference it made whether we got to the truth of what happened in Benghazi. Now we have White House aide Dan Pfieffer saying it was “irrelevant” where the president was during the attack.” If it’s so irrelevant and its makes no difference, why can’t Obama and his minions just answer the question then? Maybe because as Joe Biden has said in the past, “Its a big F’n deal”.

Amidst Three Scandals (IRS, Benghazi & AP) Barack Obama Goes Golfing, Again

Forest Gump Barack Obama Goes Golfing …

“It’s inexcusable, the public has a right to be angry about it … “ – Obama discussing IRS scandal. Interestingly enough, that is how most people think about you screwing around golfing rather than doing your job.

As reported by ABC News, despite being in the middle of three scandals President Barack Obama went golfing. That is correct, the Golfer in Chief went golfing as his administration is in taters as he, his minions and advisers struggle to deal with the Benghazi scandal, the IRS scandal and the AP scandal. Good grief, who friggin does this? Could this president care less about the harm that his administration has caused to America and Americans. This is how little he cares that the IRS would purposely target Conservatives? Oh that’s right, they were conservatives and Tea Party folk, they don’t count in Obama’s mind. Could his actions show anything but that? Obama claimed he was outraged. This is how he shows his outrage that the IRS subverted the US Constitution to help him politically to win reelection? The Obama administration was also forced to provide a document dump of emails regarding Benghazi this week.  Obama claimed he knew nothing about the IRS, AP or Benghazi scandals. So do we have a pathological liar in the White House or Forest Gump?

President Obama — despite dealing with a trio of political scandals that flared up this week — squeezed in some time on the golf course today, and included a woman in his foursome for the first time this year.

The president played golf at Andrews Air Force Base today with Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, outgoing Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, and Let’s Move! and nutrition policy advisor Sam Kass.

Earlier this week, Obama even took flack from the LEFT for his actions when MSNBC’s Chris Matthews asked, “What part of the presidency does Obama like?” It would appear the golf. Those on the LEFT call Obama detached. So doe that make him fit for office? An individual who golfs while his administration burns? Maybe if Obama spent half the time doing his job and understanding what was going on in his administration. Then again, Obama knew. He created the culture of attacking conservatives. That was his agenda all along.

Barack Obama reminds me of OJ Simpson who said after he was ridiculously found not guilty of murder that he would spend his time searching for his wife’s killer. Of course that resulted in OJ’s searching on golf courses across the US.