The Briefing Room

General Category => Trump Legal Investigations => Topic started by: Gazoo on March 14, 2014, 12:17:39 pm

Title: Democrats Say Issa Bungled Procedure at IRS Hearing
Post by: Gazoo on March 14, 2014, 12:17:39 pm

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By  JOHN D. MCKINNON

Committee chairman Rep. Darrell Issa cuts ranking member Rep. Elijah Cummings off during a hearing of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee last week. Agence France-Presse/Getty Images
House Democrats said on Wednesday that Republicans goofed up procedurally at a hearing last week, and now are barred from trying to hold a former Internal Revenue Service official, Lois Lerner, in contempt of Congress.

In a letter to House leaders, Democratic Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland said that GOP Rep. Darrell Issa of California, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, failed to specifically overrule Ms. Lerner’s assertion of her Fifth Amendment privilege during last week’s hearing. Mr. Issa also failed to explicitly order her to testify on pain of a contempt-of-Congress citation, the Democrats said.

Mr. Issa abruptly ended last week’s hearing, after it became clear Ms. Lerner would not testify. Mr. Cummings complained at the time that he wasn’t able to speak as a result.

“It appears that [Mr. Issa’s] actions last week in closing down the hearing had significant negative legal consequences that now bar the House of Representatives from successfully pursuing contempt proceedings against former IRS official Lois Lerner,” Mr. Cummings said.

A spokesman for Mr. Issa dismissed the Democrat’s latest charge.

“This analysis, solicited on a partisan basis, is deeply flawed and at odds with the House’s own expert legal counsel to the committee,” said spokesman Frederick Hill. “At the hearing, Chairman Issa specifically informed Ms. Lerner of the committee’s formal determination that she had waived her Fifth Amendment right not to answer questions. Before asking a series of questions, he then offered her fair warning that a refusal to answer could lead to a contempt finding, which ultimately must be made by the full House of Representatives.”

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2014/03/12/democrats-say-issa-bungled-procedure-at-irs-hearing/ (http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2014/03/12/democrats-say-issa-bungled-procedure-at-irs-hearing/)

I think they got her with this,
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Former IRS Official Lerner Gave Interview to DOJ - Washington Wire - WSJ
http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2014/03/06/former-irs-official-lerner-gave-interview-to-doj/ (http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2014/03/06/former-irs-official-lerner-gave-interview-to-doj/)
Cummings words sound like it was set-up before-hand to get her free on a technicality- as they sound like they came straight out of Obama's legal councils playbook.
Title: Re: Democrats Say Issa Bungled Procedure at IRS Hearing
Post by: Gazoo on March 14, 2014, 01:06:20 pm
I wonder why Cummimgs didn't comment about the most recent Lerner e-mails?
Title: Re: Democrats Say Issa Bungled Procedure at IRS Hearing
Post by: massadvj on March 14, 2014, 01:16:30 pm
Apparently, the last thing congressional Democrats are interested in is getting at the truth.  I just can't imagine the GOP getting away with stonewalling for a government official who pleaded the fifth.  GOP voters would never accept it.  Among Democrats, such tactics are admired.
Title: Re: Democrats Say Issa Bungled Procedure at IRS Hearing
Post by: Howie66 on March 14, 2014, 01:22:07 pm
Apparently, the last thing congressional Democrats are interested in is getting at the truth.  I just can't imagine the GOP getting away with stonewalling for a government official who pleaded the fifth.  GOP voters would never accept it.  Among Democrats, such tactics are admired.

The base motto of the RAT Party: "The ends justify the means". They have been living that since the 60s.