Oversight Committee Recalls Lois Lerner, Former IRS Targeting Official, to Testify
WASHINGTON – House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) sent a letter yesterday to the attorney representing Lois Lerner, the former Director of the Exempt Organizations unit of the Tax Exempt and Government Entities Division of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), recalling her to testify before the Committee on March 5th , 2014.
“Ms. Lerner’s testimony remains critical to the Committee’s investigation,” wrote Chairman Issa. “Documents and testimony obtained by the Committee show that she played a significant role in scrutinizing applications for tax exempt status from conservative organizations. Documents also show that Ms. Lerner participated in “off plan” work to develop rules that would allow the IRS to stifle constitutionally protected political speech by non-profit groups. Ms. Lerner’s testimony will allow the Committee to better understand how and why the IRS targeted certain organizations.”
Ms. Lerner was subpoenaed to testify at the Committee’s May 22nd, 2013 hearing, “The IRS: Targeting Americans for Their Political Beliefs.” At the hearing, Ms. Lerner gave a voluntary opening statement, under oath, discussing her position at the IRS and professing her innocence. After that opening statement, during which she spoke in detail about the core issues under consideration at the hearing, Ms. Lerner invoked the Fifth Amendment and declined to answer questions from Committee members. On June 28th, 2013, the Committee approved a resolution determining that Ms. Lerner waived her Fifth Amendment right. Chairman Issa recessed the May 22nd hearing with the option to recall Ms. Lerner at a later date. The initial subpoena issued to Ms. Lerner remains in effect.
The letter is available here.