U.S. Representative Cynthia Lummis voted with the House majority of 231-187 to pass H.R. 574: the Contempt of Congress Resolution Against Former IRS Official Lois Lerner. This resolution declares Lois Lerner, former head of Exempt Organizations at the IRS, in contempt of Congress for refusing to comply with the subpoena issued by the Oversight and Government Reform Committee to provide testimony regarding IRS treatment of conservative groups seeking tax-exempt status. A report detailing the contempt charges will be sent to the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia for that office to take action to enforce compliance with the subpoena.
The House also voted 250-168 to pass H.R. 565, a resolution to call on Attorney General Eric Holder to appoint a Special Counsel for the investigation of the IRS regarding the targeting of conservative groups for special treatment leading up to and following the 2012 general elections.
"Lois Lerner is a lawyer and understands that you can waive your 5th Amendment rights," said Rep. Lummis. "And as House counsel has advised, she did indeed waive her rights. That is why we are holding her in contempt. We need her testimony to track down the truth in this scandal and the stonewalling on the part of this administration is unacceptable. We will continue to fight and dig through the details to determine who is responsible and hold them accountable for this unconscionable suppression of Americans' 1st Amendment rights."