Richard Simon and Joseph Tanfani
The Los Angeles Times
5/21/2013
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.
Taylor, a criminal defense attorney from the Washington firmZuckerman Spaeder, said that the Department of Justice has launched a criminal investigation, and that the House committee has asked Lerner to explain why she provided “false or misleading information” to the committee four times last year.
Since Lerner won’t answer questions, Taylor asked that she be excused from appearing, saying that would “have no purpose other than to embarrass or burden her.” There was no immediate word whether the committee will grant her request…
The article continues, with video, at The Los Angeles Times.
Related: IRS Official Lois Lerner to plead the 5th – Update: Statement from Issa’s Office
IRS Worker Used Federal Plastic For Amazon Buys
Entrusted with a government credit card, an Internal Revenue Service worker allegedly used the plastic for a years-long Amazon.com shopping spree that netted her hundreds of items, including a chocolate fondue fountain; Bollywood movies; Pampers; Harlequin romance novels; Omaha Steaks; Apple Bottoms skinny jeans; mango body wash; and a Ginsu knife set….
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Do these idiots really expect people to believe the Supreme Court’s Citizen United ruling is the actual culprit behind the IRS’ targeting of anti-Obama groups? Via Free Beacon: Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday attempted to shift some blame for the Internal Revenue Service’s alleged targeting of conservative organizations on the Supreme Court…
Conservative Hispanic Society: IRS Targeted Us, Too
Inspector General: IRS Leaking Info to ProPublica Could be Criminal
…“You mentioned earlier that disclosure of confidential information would be a violation of the law,” said Thune.
“Yes, it could be a violation of the law,” George said.
“The reporting about the giving of this information to ProPublica–release of confidential information–could very well be a violation of the law?” asked Thune.
“It could have been,” said George…
Lerner Had History of Harassment, Inappropriate Religious Inquiries at FEC
