Breaking news today indicates that the key figure in the current IRS scandal has a long history of harassing conservatives, going all the way back to 1996. Lois Lerner refused to answer questions before Congress last week regarding the targeting of hundreds of conservative, Tea Party, and Christian groups by the IRS.
Strong evidence has been presented to members of Congress showing that Lerner is the point-person at the IRS when it comes to conducting witch hunts against conservatives. Evidence also strongly indicates that the harassment of the Tea Party in 2012 tipped the election to Barack Obama.
But new evidence uncovered today and reported by Gateway Pundit shows that Lerner has targeted conservatives before.
During the 1990s Lerner harassed the Christian Coalition during three different election cycles, leading eventually to a lawsuit against the group that Lerner initiated at the Federal Election Commission.
Although she eventually lost the case, Lerner at one point told a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate, "Promise me you will never run for public office again, and we'll drop this case." The Senate candidate, Al Salvi, was a conservative whom the Christian Coalition had supported for the seat.
Further, Lerner wanted to know if evangelical TV personality Pat Robertson had ever prayed over Salvi.
The question is entirely relevant to the current investigation, given that one of the key questions the IRS asked of various conservative groups was, "What is the content of your prayers?"
Lerner faces the ire of Congressional Republicans due to her claim of 5th Amendment rights after giving a statement during which she maintained her innocence of any wrongdoing.
But U.S. Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., a former veteran district attorney, was adamant that Lerner had automatically waived her 5th Amendment rights when she made an opening statement and claimed her innocence. Gowdy states that according to legal standard, a witness can be questioned on any statement they make and that the appropriate manner of pleading the 5th is to decline making any opening statement, decline the claim of innocence, and then refuse to answer any question posed by citing the 5th Amendment right to remain silent.
Once the witness breaks the "right to remain silent" portion of the 5th Amendment, the witness has automatically shown they do not intend to remain silent, and thus, can be questioned concerning any statement made under oath, either in court or before Congress.
Lerner is expected to be subpoenaed to return to Congress where she will be forced to answer questions concerning the claims she made under oath.
Notice!
A new entry is now available in my Musings After Midnight series titled, "Vindication is Sweet but the Facts are Dire -- A Field Report on Proactive Patriots."
An index of all of my entries in "Musings After Midnight" is available at The Liberty Sphere.
You may also wish to visit my ministry site at Martin Christian Ministries.
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