Rep. Trey Gowdy (R., S.C.) erupted in yesterday's House Oversight and Government Reform hearing over former IRS official Lois Lerner's continued refusal to answer the committee's questions.
Lerner made an opening statement before invoking her right to remain silent last May, which critics such as Gowdy believe constitutes a waiver of her Fifth Amendment rights.
"Mr. Chairman, I counted 17 separate factual assertions by Mrs. Lerner — not those three little sentences that my colleagues like to cite. That is a lot of talking for someone who wants to remain silent! That’s a lot of talking! If you honestly believe you can make 17 separate factual assertions and still invoke your right to remain silent, then please tell me what waiver is," Gowdy exclaimed.
The South Carolina Congressman analogized Lerner's refusal to be cross examined to a thief refusing to address incriminating evidence in a court of law.
"Can you imagine a fact pattern where somebody takes the stand and says, ‘I didn’t rob the bank. But I’m not gonna answer why my fingerprints are on the demand note. And I’m not gonna tell you why I’m on the surveillance footage with a gun in my hand. And I’m not gonna tell you why the dye pack blew up in my car. I’m just gonna tell you I didn’t rob the bank!’ That’s not the way our system works."
[H/T The Blaze]