Lois Lerner offers her testimony if promised immunity

[ImTheNana]

Politico

 

Should a public official be allowed to skirt testifying in front of an oversight committee, about things she did not do or did do, under the demand for immunity?

 

Or should that be part of her job to be accountable for her actions at work?

 

How many of you, who work under a boss, have the luxury of not only being able to plead the fifth, when asked questions about your job performance, but are also allowed to sit at home, still being paid, and issue your own demands of immunity before testimony?

 

I think government workers should be more accountable, because they work for the People, and pleading the fifth in front of committee should not be allowed by them, or any government worker when discussing things related to their job.

[mandrew002008]

I want Trey Gowdy to rip her a new one!

[TxRanger]

They should be held accountable to the law just as we are.

[Annoyed Liberall]

Politico

 

Should a public official be allowed to skirt testifying in front of an oversight committee, about things she did not do or did do, under the demand for immunity?

 

Or should that be part of her job to be accountable for her actions at work?

 

How many of you, who work under a boss, have the luxury of not only being able to plead the fifth, when asked questions about your job performance, but are also allowed to sit at home, still being paid, and issue your own demands of immunity before testimony?

 

I think government workers should be more accountable, because they work for the People, and pleading the fifth in front of committee should not be allowed by them, or any government worker when discussing things related to their job.

IIRC congress can compel someone to testify by offering immunity. It really doesn't mean a whole lot, but it's a way to make someone talk and get to the facts.

If they give her immunity and she refuses to talk, she can be jailed until she talks or up to 18 months.

[ImTheNana]

They should be held accountable to the law just as we are.

Under this situation, though, she appears to be 'above the law', IMO. Even if it is allowed by law, should it be? Again, they work for all of us. They should be accountable, I think more than us, even.

 

IIRC congress can compel someone to testify by offering immunity. It really doesn't mean a whole lot, but it's a way to make someone talk and get to the facts.

Okay, in my understanding (which is probably wrong ), immunity keeps her from getting into trouble for what she says in her testimony. Or am I right, and justifiably annoyed?

 

So she could not be fired for any misconduct on her part if she is granted immunity? She gets away with it, if she was actually in the wrong for anything? Or when you say "it really doesn't mean a whole lot" is that indicating I have the wrong end of the stick here?

If they give her immunity and she refuses to talk, she can be jailed until she talks or up to 18 months.

I gathered something like that, a contempt charge, basically.

[Annoyed Liberall]

Under this situation, though, she appears to be 'above the law', IMO. Even if it is allowed by law, should it be? Again, they work for all of us. They should be accountable, I think more than us, even.

 

Okay, in my understanding (which is probably wrong ), immunity keeps her from getting into trouble for what she says in her testimony. Or am I right, and justifiably annoyed?

 

So she could not be fired for any misconduct on her part if she is granted immunity? She gets away with it, if she was actually in the wrong for anything? Or when you say "it really doesn't mean a whole lot" is that indicating I have the wrong end of the stick here?

I gathered something like that, a contempt charge, basically.

I think you are right.

I guess my point was, she doesn't have to ask for immunity, they will give it to her whether she wants it or not if they want to get to the bottom of this IRS thing.

So, basically, yeah. She will get off scott free fro her part in the wrongdoing. It boils my blood!

If it was you or me, we would getting fitted for a prison jumpsuit.

[ImTheNana]

I think you are right.

I guess my point was, she doesn't have to ask for immunity, they will give it to her whether she wants it or not if they want to get to the bottom of this IRS thing.

So, basically, yeah. She will get off scott free fro her part in the wrongdoing. It boils my blood!

If it was you or me, we would getting fitted for a prison jumpsuit.

Okay, I see what you meant now. I just wasn't sure how it worked with Federal employees, if it was the same as with everyone else.

 

Yep, mine too. The more I think about it, the more annoyed I get. It also leads me to believe she indeed has had something to hide all this time that we have been paying her salary.

 

Hopefully an attractive jumpsuit, heh.

[Golfboy]

IIRC congress can compel someone to testify by offering immunity. It really doesn't mean a whole lot, but it's a way to make someone talk and get to the facts.

If they give her immunity and she refuses to talk, she can be jailed until she talks or up to 18 months.

 

They need to interview her first and find out what she will say under oath, and decide whether or not her information deserves immunity.

She has already given up her 5th Amendment protections, so if she refuses now to testify, they can simply throw her in jail and let her sit there until she decides she'll talk.

 

I would only give her immunity if she offers up information they don't already know, and don't have from any other source.

 

This is where Democrats screwed up with Oliver North. They thought he was going to give them Reagan's head on a platter, and in the zeal to get Reagan, they gave North immunity without knowing what he would testify to.

When he got on the stand, he accepted 100% responsibility for Iran Contra, and since he had immunity, they couldn't touch him.