Patterico's Pontifications

An ugly woman inside and out. Takes no responsibility for anything she has done.

PatriotRider (72dd92) — 5/24/2013 @ 6:46 am

I read Chuck Grasseley said she was asked to resign; she refused.

SarahW (b0e533) — 5/24/2013 @ 6:48 am

She did the job she put there to do, which was suppress the Tea Party, as she did at the FEC with the Christian Coalition,

narciso (3fec35) — 5/24/2013 @ 6:51 am

Not only paid leave, but she is accruing vacation time while on leave, probably one vacation day for each 2 weeks. pretty sweet, no?

John Cunningham (a104b8) — 5/24/2013 @ 6:53 am

Devolving into a banana republic has real world consequences.

William Scalia (89a442) — 5/24/2013 @ 7:08 am

If Congress drags her back to question her on the basis that she waived her Fifth Amendment rights, she will repeat her stunt of making a statement and then refusing to answer questions while wrapping herself in the American flag.

Don’t do it.

AZ Bob (c11d35) — 5/24/2013 @ 7:18 am

If Congress drags her back to question her on the basis that she waived her Fifth Amendment rights, she will repeat her stunt of making a statement and then refusing to answer questions while wrapping herself in the American flag.

So?

Rob Crawford (e6f27f) — 5/24/2013 @ 7:21 am

So we find out the bulk of them at the IRS`are unionized, and you can’t fire a “civil servant.” What a great way to run an “apolitical” agency effectively.

elissa (e4ad67) — 5/24/2013 @ 7:21 am

This may very well be the only instance in which Dershowitz’s spigot theory applies. It certainly does not apply in a Miranda setting. Or in a trial setting, even in jurisdictions which do not have vouching of the witness. The procedure is to go question by question and the sanction is usually to strike any direct testimony that the witness refuses to be cross-examined on. And the witness’s proponent is also usually barred from calling a witness he knows will invoke the Fifth, and if Lerner is not Issa’s witness than it becomes close to a Miranda situation especially since there is now a criminal investigation. Dershowitz is swimming against the tide, I think.

nk (875f57) — 5/24/2013 @ 7:23 am

And happyfeet is a bad influence on my writing style.

nk (875f57) — 5/24/2013 @ 7:24 am

Well her name was on the demand letters, she said she had nothing to do with.

narciso (3fec35) — 5/24/2013 @ 7:25 am

This scandal could have been an opportunity to reform our tax code and eliminate the IRS. Of course that is not possible at this time. Maybe if the scandals had been divulged to the American people much earlier, but the Administration preferred we be kept in the dark until we reelected Obama.

I hope the GOP is wise enough to begin talking about reforming the tax code and eliminating the IRS now. It’s a winner of an issue, and it should be tied to this scandal.

Lerner is a criminal, but she’s just one person. If they ever manage to get her in serious trouble, it will only last until Obama’s last day of office. We know Eric Holder’s role in the Clinton pardons… it is obviously going to happen again.

These federal bureaucracies are too far separated from the people, too powerful, and too easily corrupted. We need to eliminate as many of them as possible. Which today is zero, sadly, but maybe we can get our act together and win an election.

Dustin (12e1a0) — 5/24/2013 @ 7:47 am

The only way that will happen, Dustin, is in the Republic of Texas.

DRJ (a83b8b) — 5/24/2013 @ 8:03 am

This is the way the lawyers made the Fifth Amendment. It can be taken in general, without a specific crime in mind, but only on the grounds that people are going to be carefully examimning your words.

In the long run, actually, the claim that she has waived it probably won’t hold up.

Sammy Finkelman (d22d64) — 5/24/2013 @ 8:08 am

DRJ, I suppose you’re right. US politics can be pretty frustrating to me because the things I think are obvious or even necessary are not going to happen. And every time another scandal breaks, it reinforces both the necessity and the impossibility.

Anyway, change will come eventually. I’m sure of that. This system of corruption and this system of reckless debt is not stable enough to continue. I’m sure it won’t be fun to see.

I personally would love to see a peaceful secession of the productive and more civil rights oriented states like Texas, but it is too important to the left to control and reap wealth from these places. Given the abuse this government is willing to conduct now, I can only imagine how bad they would be in that situation.

I do believe this country has been through worse, but the country had better people in charge at those times.

Dustin (12e1a0) — 5/24/2013 @ 8:20 am

Dustin, as you know I too am a proponent of major tax reform and believe this is an issue around which many people could broadly coalesce if done right. I am very disappointed there have not been more calls from the right (and by others) for tax reform in the past two weeks. It seems like the time is opportune. I can only hope some of the best brains are preparing draft legislation as we speak to get the ball rolling.

Of course, a huge piece of selling tax reform to the public is helping all citizens and politicians understand that the potential ramifications and dangers of a poisonous manipulable tax code coupled with a politicized, out of control and non-accountable IRS agency is exemplified by, but goes way beyond, what is known to have been done to certain groups and citizens leading up to the last election.

elissa (e4ad67) — 5/24/2013 @ 8:21 am

[the danger is] exemplified by, but goes way beyond, what is known to have been done

You’re right. And I take for granted how obvious this is, because to you and to me this is totally obvious. And to many out there, they don’t get that. They aren’t alarmed. Most of them are focused on social media nonsense and celebrity gossip. Most of those who realize they need to try to get some kind of real news are currently fixated on Jodi Arias and the weather. Precious few reach the actual information they need to get alarmed, and frankly I don’t think many of them want to. And every year, the dependency will grow so that as they get hints that these agencies are not benevolent, they will try to ignore that. After all, the IRS is how we get our medicine for our children, in a near future. We need them. And we are all aware, some dimly, that if we cross the IRS politically they will notice and react.

It’s a hybrid of A Brave New World and 1984.

Anyway, I often think of folks like you who are good people and live far from the societies that I think would do much better on their own, and I do hope that this entire country can turn back around. Secession feels like turning my back on the good out there in California and Illinois and New Jersey. But the Obama administration represents a decisive turn towards the policies represented in each dark and rights stomping scandal. We’re racing in the wrong direction.

Dustin (12e1a0) — 5/24/2013 @ 8:32 am

Anyway, Elissa is 100% right that the time is perfect to make an issue of tax reform. This opportunity for the GOP will pass them by, and that is so annoying. Right now, our ‘brightest’ Senators are worried about fence enforcement loopholes in an immigration bill. Why are they marching to the beat of the democrat party’s drum? Right now we need to talk about what’s really wrong with this country.

Dustin (12e1a0) — 5/24/2013 @ 8:37 am

Yes soma is the order of the day, I really don’t get the Arias thing, she killed him, there are photographs of her doing it, what’s the holdup.

narciso (3fec35) — 5/24/2013 @ 8:37 am

GOP Strategy Session

Dustin (12e1a0) — 5/24/2013 @ 8:38 am

The first thing the GOP ought to do is to propose a bill that guts the plan to hire 16,500 new IRS agents to help implement ObamaCare. If recent polls are to believed, ObamaCare is still unpopular and I think this recent scandal has woken up people to the idea that the government bureaucracy can be arbitrary in its abuse. The Republicans can tout this as a money-saving measure which will help cut the spiraling costs of ObamaCare.

JVW (23867e) — 5/24/2013 @ 9:12 am

With this being the Friday before a long holiday weekend, I wonder what kind of news The Administration will dump today?

Whitey Nisson (0a4839) — 5/24/2013 @ 9:18 am

http://hotair.com/archives/2013/05/24/lerner-signed-irs-cover-letters-to-conservative-groups-demanding-intrusive-tax-exemption-info-after-she-learned-what-was-going-on/

narciso (3fec35) — 5/24/2013 @ 9:22 am

I really don’t get the Arias thing, she killed him, there are photographs of her doing it, what’s the holdup.

The jury deadlocked on the death penalty. In a sane jurisdiction that would mean automatic natural life. But it’s in Arizona.

nk (875f57) — 5/24/2013 @ 9:26 am

With this being the Friday before a long holiday weekend, I wonder what kind of news The Administration will dump today?

Oh, just probably that Joe Biden, Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, Tim Geithner, and Eric Holder were all briefed last June that Tea Party groups had been targeted by the IRS.

JVW (23867e) — 5/24/2013 @ 9:27 am

Should have been fired, union be damned. No, you don’t get to plead the fifth in a congressional inquest and keep your job. No, you don’t get paid vacation time (oh, sorry, “administrative leave”) after refusing to answer for your blatant misbehavior.

And yes, I do judge her. So sue me.

mojo (8096f2) — 5/24/2013 @ 9:40 am

Lerner was high up in IRS management, she may not be covered by the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU). I don’t know but it’s worth exploring.

ropelight (643ef8) — 5/24/2013 @ 9:49 am

Comment by JVW (23867e) — 5/24/2013 @ 9:12 am

The House Appropriations Cmte could zero that out of the FY-2014 funding, but they would have to make it absolutely clear that there will be no compromise with the Senate on it, and then stick to it (and that’s the rub, isn’t it?).
The way things are developing over at HHS, they could do the same with that funding bill also – after all, Sibelius can just go (tin-cup in hand) to Big-Health and ask for more funding, as she’s been doing (and as she should be impeached, removed, and prosecuted/jailed for).

askeptic (b8ab92) — 5/24/2013 @ 9:58 am

Lois Lerner grills religious about the content of their prayers:
http://www.examiner.com/article/pattern-of-abuse-lois-lerner-s-fec-grilled-oliver-north-about-prayer

This woman is crazy, isn’t she?

Jack (83ebf3) — 5/24/2013 @ 9:58 am

Here’s Wikipedia opening paragraph: (emphasis added)

The National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) is an independent labor union representing approximately 150,000 employees of 30 agencies of the United States government. The union specializes in representation of non-supervisory federal employees in every classification and pay level in civilian agencies.

ropelight (643ef8) — 5/24/2013 @ 10:00 am

ropelight – so Pres’ent Obama is eligible to be a member of NTEU, given that he has been as non-supervisory as he says of himself ?

Alasdair (867c8a) — 5/24/2013 @ 10:08 am

31-
Ding, Ding, Ding…..we have a winner!

askeptic (b8ab92) — 5/24/2013 @ 10:21 am

“wrapping herself in the American flag”…

I’m just pleased that there is a part of the constitution that the partisan hack Lerner adheres to.

Well her name was on the demand letters, she said she had nothing to do with.

Comment by narciso (3fec35) — 5/24/2013 @ 7:25 am

That makes her a liar dunnit. Oooooh.

What was it she said, “I have done nothing wrong.”

Scooter Libby went to jail for lying to congress.

There’s a paper trail that shows she most definitely provided false information to this and every other committee.

Say goodbye to your safe and secure civil service job, and say hello to Fort Levenworth (I’m guessing thats where a treasury traitor would be sent).

papertiger (c2d6da) — 5/24/2013 @ 10:26 am

Ropelight–the question I have (and I’d like to think much of the American public has as well) with respect to Lois is–if they CAN fire her, then why did the acting director “ask” her to resign and then put her on paid administrative leave when she refused to resign. If he wanted her gone and believed she should be gone, then why did he not just can her? Or at least announce he was starting the process to can her? In my experience (albeit private sector) her being management, above union grade and not being part of the union should make it easier to fire someone, not harder.

elissa (9070ef) — 5/24/2013 @ 10:30 am

Because it is a charade, elissa, she did what she was put there for, that’s why all the folderall.

narciso (3fec35) — 5/24/2013 @ 10:44 am

That’s it elissa. Acting IRS Commissioner, David Worfel may have declined other, more serious, options for dealing with Lois Lerner’s situation.

We know he put her on administrative leave with pay, but he may have had the authority to dismiss her outright, or to withhold her paycheck.

If those were indeed options available to Worfel and rejected in favor of a paid summer vacation as compensation for Lerner’s silence, then it’s clear the cover-up is still in progress and Worfel is buying himself a ticket to infamy.

ropelight (643ef8) — 5/24/2013 @ 10:54 am

narciso, Obviously I understand Lois marched to her direct orders from above and issued some of her own. She no doubt has successfully mentored others with respect to these tactics. But do you honestly believe that in the end she will survive this and be able to continue on at the IRS in a high profile section? I do not. I don’t think any other scapegoat will suffice and that in the end she’ll have to be sacrificed to the gods by the king. She very well may stay in “government service” and continue to do partisan damage elsewhere. But I don’t think it will be at the Internal Revenue Service.

elissa (9070ef) — 5/24/2013 @ 10:55 am

Let me be clear.

The issue isn’t favoritism. The issue is generally accepted systemic and pervasive crony corruption with no prospect of reform.

Amphipolis (d3e04f) — 5/24/2013 @ 11:08 am

One thing I have learned about the Democrats is that they are generally doing what they accuse the Republicans of doing. I couldn’t understand how the Democrats were getting all spun up about “voter suppression” when Republicans wanted to ensure the accuracy of registration rolls and make sure only those who were eligible were registered. Now I know why. Through efforts like this, they themselves were engaged in voter suppression by obstructing groups who would rally voters to the polls on behalf of their political opponents.

Whenever you hear Democrats get hyper on an issue and accuse the Republicans of doing something, start looking around for how it is the Democrats themselves that are doing it.

crosspatch (49bf90) — 5/24/2013 @ 11:13 am

“Scooter Libby went to jail for lying to congress. ”

Actually, Scooter was the designated fall guy for Patrick Fitzgerald, the egomaniacal Chicago states attorney who knew that Richard Armitage was the one who leaked Vanity Faire centerfold and CIA employee Valerie Plame’s name to Bob Novak. I was never a fan of Libby since he was hip deep, with Holder, in the Marc Rich pardon case. Still, the issue that got him in trouble was a debatable difference in recollection between him and Tim Russert.

Mike K (dc6ffe) — 5/24/2013 @ 11:18 am

Scooter Libby went to jail for lying to congress.

1. He never went to jail; 2. He never testified to Congress. His conviction (on not very much evidence) was for lying to the FBI, or rather for recalling what he told the FBI differently from how they recalled it (there being no recording or transcript of what he actually said).

Milhouse (3d0df0) — 5/24/2013 @ 11:18 am

Excellent point, crosspatch.

Barbara Boxer would harass people who supported voter integrity by saying they may be engaged in a criminal conspiracy to suppress the vote. Will she lift a finger to stop actual attempts to do so? Nope. When she angrily told that Military Officer to call her Senator because she worked so hard to get into office, this is probably the kind of crap she had in mind.

A lot of our elected officials would sell their soul for more power. A lot of them essentially have sold their soul.

Dustin (12e1a0) — 5/24/2013 @ 11:19 am

crosspatch #39 – a number of us have been calling the Progressives (aka Democrats) the Projective Party for a *long* time …

Alasdair (867c8a) — 5/24/2013 @ 11:25 am

It’s OK to force only tea partiers to answer 100 questions. It’s OK to deliberately delay their tax-exempt status to sway an election. It’s OK to use government audits as a form of intimidation. You’re not doing anything wrong.

Just don’t ask for an ID at the poll, because that’s unconstitutional (and racist).

Amphipolis (d3e04f) — 5/24/2013 @ 11:34 am

You got a way with words, Amphipolis.

ropelight (643ef8) — 5/24/2013 @ 12:34 pm

ropelight #45 – isn’t that what Pres’ent Obama is hoping to have done ?

Alasdair (867c8a) — 5/24/2013 @ 1:22 pm

Is it too hard to fire bureaucrats—

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/05/the-irs-scandal-is-a-test-is-it-too-hard-to-fire-misbehaving-bureaucrats/276149/

elissa (9070ef) — 5/24/2013 @ 1:52 pm

Actually Ms. Lerners mantra isn’t unusual. I hear it all the time, goes something like this: “How dare you accuse me of doing something wrong? I never do anything wrong, so if I did something it must be right. Besides, shut up.” Sometimes they toss in some name calling and personal insults. And that’s just my wife and kids.

glenn (647d76) — 5/24/2013 @ 2:10 pm

Can the president give pardons for unspecified crimes yet to be named?

If not, I say don’t charge anybody with anything until after Obama is out of office.

MD in Philly (3d3f72) — 5/24/2013 @ 3:21 pm

But she wasn’t misbehaving, ‘from their point of view’ Put it another way, you think JTM got even a single once over,

narciso (3fec35) — 5/24/2013 @ 4:27 pm

Can the president give pardons for unspecified crimes yet to be named?

Yes. Ford’s pardon of Nixon, for instance.

Milhouse (3d0df0) — 5/24/2013 @ 4:32 pm

If you wondered why there was a certain lack of specificity;

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2013/05/24/Revealed-Obama-Donor-Sat-In-On-IG-Interviews-With-IRS-Employees

narciso (3fec35) — 5/24/2013 @ 5:46 pm

This is why she is indispensable. Peggy Noonan on the IRS–and the government’s interactions with just one regular American woman who only wanted to help get dead people off the voter rolls. Too bad she also has a business.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323475304578501581991103070.html?mod=trending_now_1

There is nothing much new that regular readers here do not already know. But Peggy’s presentation of it all and the personalization of it for more casual weekend readers—Wow.

elissa (9070ef) — 5/24/2013 @ 6:07 pm

With respect to the Noonan artlcle linked above let’s think about how very few people/places there are in the Federal Government that have the power and ability to coordinate the IRS, the FBI, the ATF, and OSHA–and who they might be. There just can’t be too many officials with that kind of reach to choose from.

Unless, of course it has all just been a huge coincidence.

elissa (9070ef) — 5/24/2013 @ 6:35 pm

The ATF, that ran Fast and Furious, the FBI that tried to disable the NYPD’s surveilance unit, OSHA, ‘who’s being naive here’

narciso (3fec35) — 5/24/2013 @ 6:42 pm

Yes indeed, Narciso. The American people need to be hit alongside the head to make sure they understand this has been a highest level White House/DOJ political operation from the get-go, and could only be that.

elissa (9070ef) — 5/24/2013 @ 6:52 pm

Comment by Milhouse (3d0df0) — 5/24/2013 @ 4:32 pm

Thanks again, milhouse.
So the one could pardon his entire administration, all of his czars, and all past, present, and future govs of Illinois and mayors of Chicago in one fell swoop
could he pardon himself for selling pardons to political contributors?
how about Nadal hassan?

MD in Philly (3d3f72) — 5/24/2013 @ 7:03 pm

I bet the I.R.S. never red-flagged the organization that goes by the name of the Islamic Jihadist Tea Party Patriots !

Their tax-exempt status probably got confirmed in three days.

Elephant Stone (6a4946) — 5/24/2013 @ 7:16 pm

Comment by MD in Philly (3d3f72) — 5/24/2013 @ 7:03 pm

Chicago politicians’ motto is “Ubi Est Mei”, literally “where’s mine”, better translation “what’s in it for me”. There will be no pardons without cash or houses.

nk (875f57) — 5/24/2013 @ 8:14 pm

Lois slapped with lawsuit by True the Vote.

Hope she has deep pockets now that the WH has turned its back to her. Conservatives just might throw some pocket change in the kitty.

gary gulrud (dd7d4e) — 5/24/2013 @ 11:07 pm

48. “And that’s just my wife and kids”

We feel your pain, or you feel ours.

gary gulrud (dd7d4e) — 5/24/2013 @ 11:11 pm

.45 ACP…1 shot, 1 kill.

me here (4ff0da) — 6/8/2013 @ 6:57 pm

5/24/2013

Lois Lerner Put on Administrative Leave

62 Responses to “Lois Lerner Put on Administrative Leave”

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