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Press Release Published: Mar 21, 2014

Issa and Jordan to Holder: Provide Details on Lerner Interview

WASHINGTON – In light of reports that Justice Department investigators have interviewed former IRS Exempt Organizations Director Lois Lerner, House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) and Regulatory Affairs Subcommittee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) yesterday requested that U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder provide information about the Justice Department interview of Ms. Lerner.  Ms. Lerner refused to testify at an Oversight hearing on IRS targeting on March 5th, invoking the fifth amendment.

“For over eight months, the Committee has sought to carry out its oversight obligations in concert with the Department of Justice’s law-enforcement duties,” wrote Chairman Issa and Chairman Jordan.  “At every stage, the Department has refused to fully cooperate with the Committee.”

The letter continues: “According to [the recent Wall Street Journal] article, Ms. Lerner gave a ‘lengthy interview’ to unspecified DOJ lawyers without a grant of immunity from the Department.  Ms. Lerner spoke freely with DOJ investigators while refusing to provide public testimony to the Committee.”

The letter requests the following:

  • All documents and communications referring or relating to the scope, timing, and scheduling of the DOJ’s interview of Lois Lerner.
  • All documents and communications between or among the DOJ, or other federal law enforcement agencies, and Lois Lerner or her counsel referring or relating to immunity for Ms. Lerner.

Chairman Issa and Chairman Jordan also asked the Attorney General to answer specific questions, including:

  • Did Lois Lerner invoke her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination at any time during her interview with Department attorneys?
  • Did Lois Lerner refuse to answer any questions during the interview?

Read the letter to Attorney General Holder here.