Issa Says His IRS Investigation Might Have Hit A 'Dead End'

[DonViejo]

Source: TPM

ERIC LACH – MARCH 5, 2014, 12:01 PM EST

Following a House Oversight Committee hearing Wednesday in which a star witness again invoked her Fifth Amendment rights, and the Democratic ranking member denounced a "one-sided investigation," committee Chairman Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) told reporters that his long-running investigation into the IRS may have hit a "dead end."

While speaking to reporters after the hearing, Issa was asked about former IRS official Lois Lerner's continuing refusal to answer questions from his committee. Republicans consider Lerner a key figure at the center of the IRS' screening of applications for tax-exempt status from conservative groups. Issa was asked how bad of a setback Wednesday's hearing was for the investigation.

"As you can see from our questioning today, we have continued to gather facts around Ms. Lerner's absence of testimony," Issa replied. "It would have allowed us to bring this investigation to a -- probably pretty quick close if she had been willing to answers those questions. Without it we will undoubtably have a few more questions to try to find out things that she could have answered quickly today."

A reporter than asked Issa if he was still "confident" the investigation would "get to the bottom of this."

"It may well be we have gotten to the bottom of it," Issa said. "At this point, roads lead to Ms. Lerner. The witness who to took the Fifth. That becomes -- she becomes one of the key characters at this point. Had she been willing to explain those emails which were provided through separate subpoenas, then we could have perhaps brought this to a close. Without that, it may dead end with Ms. Lerner."

more
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/issa-irs-dead-end

Read more: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/issa-irs-dead-end

[underpants]

1. It always has been a dead end

He's just toting Fox News and talk radio water and always has been.

The BOLO list was standard audit procedure for a population of this size. No RW group lost their ax exempt status. The additional questions were completely reasonable.

What I think Issa is worried about is that we may finally get a complete BOLO list which will confirm what we, and he, already know-- "blue" "progressive" and generally left wing groups were over sampled.

[Berlum]

2. "We Republicons are weary of telling the same old lies." - Issa the Pissa (R)

"....The old lies just ain't getting traction like they used to. So we are using some more OCCULTED black-ops cash-money-bucks booty to hire another whackjob right-wing Stink Tank, Inc. (R) to dream up some brand new lies for us to spew. Smirk. Sneer."

- Issa the Pissa (R)

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[hrmjustin]

3. I love that pic.

[DonViejo]

6. his yellow teeth go real well with...

the aqua and shocking pink make-up he has on his ugly face

[cosmicone]

4. Isn't Ms. Lerner a republican? n/t

[DonViejo]

5. Yes, she is...

and if Issa really wants answers from her, all he has to do is grant her immunity. She's stated over and over, "grant me immunity, I'll testify."

[KeepItReal]

7. Issa should be held accountable for a slanted, partisan witch hunt

Even the New York Times says the IRS targeted EVERYBODY:

The instructions that Internal Revenue Service officials used to look for applicants seeking tax-exempt status with “Tea Party” and “Patriots” in their titles also included groups whose names included the words “Progressive” and “Occupy,” according to I.R.S. documents released Monday.

The documents appeared to back up contentions by I.R.S. officials and some Democrats that the agency did not intend to single out conservative groups for special scrutiny. Instead, the documents say, officials were trying to use “key word” shortcuts to find overtly political organizations — both liberal and conservative — that were after tax favors by saying they were social welfare organizations.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/25/us/politics/documents-show-liberals-in-irs-dragnet.html?_r=0

[Cha]

8. K!