Congressional Committee Backs Contempt Case Against Lerner

The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform voted Thursday to hold Lois Lerner, former head of the Internal Revenue Service’s unit on nonprofit groups, in contempt of Congress, sending the matter to the full House, f writes.

The Republican-led panel split along party lines, as did the House Ways and Means Committee when it voted Wednesday to refer Ms. Lerner to the Justice Department for criminal prosecution for her role in IRS scrutiny of politically active nonprofit groups.

The contempt case centers on Ms. Lerner’s refusal to answer congressional questions on the scandal. Republicans contend she waived her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination when she asserted her innocence at one hearing, an argument her attorney and House Democrats reject. Speaker John Boehner has said the full House would vote to hold Ms. Lerner in contempt if she does not testify.