Republicans on the House Oversight committee believe that they can now compel Lerner to testify under a contempt threat because she gave a defiant opening statement in which she denied breaking the law. Politico: Lois Lerner might win the legal battle but she's prolonging the political war. Instead of simply taking the scorn of lawmakers for a day, repeatedly invoking the Fifth Amendment to avoid self-incrimination, and then moving on, she chose defiance. And her bravado has prompted House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) to say she has waived her constitutional right to not comment. Now, he plans to haul the director of the IRS's tax-exempt department back to the committee for questioning. "When I asked her her questions from the very beginning, I did so so she could assert her rights prior to any statement," Issa told POLITICO. "She chose not to do so -- so she waived." Lerner shocked the committee room in the opening moments of ...(Read Full Post)