Lois Lerner could face as much as a year in jail, though there are several steps between the vote next Thursday scheduled by Chairman Issa and the Ms Lerner checking in to the Graybar Hotel. Eliana Johnson reports for NRO:

The House Oversight Committee will vote next Thursday on whether to hold former Internal Revenue Service official Lois Lerner in contempt of Congress, sources say. (snip)

The committee’s vote would clear the way for John Boehner to bring the issue before the full House, and he has indicated he will do so. Boehner spokesman Michael Steel said, “Speaker Boehner has been clear, both publicly and privately, that if Lois Lerner does not testify fully and truthfully, she will be found in contempt of Congress.”

Contempt findings are rare. If the House ultimately holds Lerner in contempt, a statute directs the district attorney to refer the matter to a grand jury. Criminal charges could result in a jail sentence between one month and one year or a fine between $100 and $1,000.  (snip)

[Rep. Elijah] Cummings has already sent a letter to Boehner arguing that Issa violated key procedural rules that preclude the committee from holding Lerner in contempt. Issa shot back a letter to Cummings and on March 25 produced a memo from the House counsel indicating that the committee has met all the legal requirements to schedule a vote to issue a contempt citation.

It’s a start.