Resolution Relating to the Consideration of House Report 113-415 and an Accompanying Resolution, and Providing for Consideration of H. Res. 565, Appointment of Special Counsel to Investigate Internal Revenue Service

Floor Speech

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Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, the minority is entitled to opinions, but not facts that just aren't so.

Our committee issued an extensive committee report, a staff report as to the targeting of conservatives. The minority offered no response, so the gentleman not on the committee might say something that just isn't so.

The targeting by the IRS was conservative groups. They were the ones that got the special treatment. They were the ones that were asked inappropriate questions. They were the ones that Lois Lerner said she did nothing wrong about, but she did.

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Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, again, BOLOs were issued, be on the lookout, if you will, for conservative groups. Conservative groups were systematically denied, for more than 2 years, their approvals. Conservative groups were asked inappropriate and personal questions, things like where do you pray, things like what are your political views, and please show us your donor list, even though that was inappropriate.

The fact that the minority will allude to word searches to see how many of some application was out there is not about the inappropriate targeting and systematically withholding and mistreating of groups. That is what happened. That is what evidence is beginning to show Lois Lerner was at the heart of.

We are here today about contempt for somebody pleading a number of cases of what was right or what they did or didn't do, followed by taking the Fifth, then followed by answering questions having once waived and, thus, essentially waiving her rights.

Now, you can, after the fact, get 39 people to say one thing and somebody else can get 39 to say another. Today, we are trying to move contempt to the court system where an impartial judge can evaluate whether or not Lois Lerner should be ordered back to testify so the American people can know the truth about why she did what she did. What she did was target conservative groups. That is not in doubt. I don't want people using words like ``circus'' in order to confuse people.

Conservatives were targeted; that is clear. Lois Lerner has things to answer. She only answers the part she wants to, including before the Justice Department but not before the U.S. Congress.

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