House Republicans are steaming that ex-IRS official Lois Lerner decided to talk to POLITICO for a profile on her life after twice taking the Fifth before Congress. <\/p>\n
Lerner refused to answer questions before House Oversight Chairman Darrell Issas panel and quickly became the center of the tea party targeting saga that erupted 16 months ago. The former head of the IRS tax exempt unit declared her innocence in the interview, as she has maintained throughout, but would not discuss her time at the IRS in the run-up to the firestorm. <\/p>\n
Republicans, who voted to hold Lerner in contempt of Congress and held countless hearings blasting her for refusing to speak, said it was unfair for her to speak to media and not lawmakers. <\/p>\n
Her decision to make unsubstantiated claims to a media outlet while claiming Fifth Amendment protections from answering Congress questions is telling, Issa (R-Calif.) said in a statement on Monday. She appears to have great confidence that her allies in the Obama Administration will not consider legal action after she resigned and declined to discuss the IRS actions against private citizens. <\/p>\n
(Also on POLITICO: Exclusive: Lois Lerner breaks silence) <\/p>\n
The scandal erupted in May 2013 after Lerner, at the behest of her boss, acknowledged that her division had given added scrutiny to conservative groups using search terms like tea party. A damning inspector general report followed, which led to President Barack Obama firing the acting IRS chief, congressional hearings and an FBI probe. <\/p>\n
Although Lerner acknowledged she is a Democrat, she said her political leanings never affected her work. Republicans have released emails showing she took an interest in GOP nonprofit Crossroads GPS, including asking why the group was not audited and suggesting the group should be denied tax-exempt status. <\/p>\n
House Speaker John Boehners staff posted a blog calling out Lerner for telling POLITICO she is not sorry for anything I did. <\/p>\n
Thanks to President Obama and his cadre of cover-up artists, we still dont know what exactly that entailed, his communications adviser, Matt Wolking, wrote in a blog. <\/p>\n
Meanwhile Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), who chairs the IRS Oversight subcommittee, called the interview a poke in the eye to the American citizens who were targeted by the IRS. <\/p>\n
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Go here to see the original: House Republicans are steaming that ex-IRS official Lois Lerner decided to talk to POLITICO for a profile on her life after twice taking the Fifth before Congress. Lerner refused to answer questions before House Oversight Chairman Darrell Issas panel and quickly became the center of the tea party targeting saga that erupted 16 months ago. The former head of the IRS tax exempt unit declared her innocence in the interview, as she has maintained throughout, but would not discuss her time at the IRS in the run-up to the firestorm Continue reading
\nGOP fumes over Lerner remarks<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"