True the Vote Calls Out Rep. Cummings for Role in IRS Targeting Scandal

"No more lies, Mr. Cummings: Tell America the truth."

4.10.2014

Catherine Engelbrecht, president of True the Vote—one of the conservative organizations that claim to have been targeted by the IRS—called out Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) after new revelations about his role in the IRS scandal, calling for an end to the “lies” and stating that the information revealed Wednesday has proven that Cummings played a clear role in the collusion of two branches of government “to target and silence private citizens.”

After the information released by the House Government Oversight and Reform Committee Wednesday, showing collusion between Cummings and former IRS chief Lois Lerner, True the Vote has amended its ethics complaint to include Cummings. In the announcement of the amended complaint, Engelbrecht asserts that "America has come to a tipping point" and that True the Vote will not be intimidated into silence, stating, "I will not ask Rep. Cummings, Lois Lerner, Barack Obama, or anyone else, for permission to exercise my constitutional rights."

Here is the full statement True the Vote released Wednesday:

NO MORE LIES, MR. CUMMINGS:

TELL AMERICA THE TRUTH

Houston, TX - April 9, 2014 - Washington is reeling as Rep. Elijah Cummings' (D-MD) true role in the IRS abuse scandal has come to light. Emails released by the House Government Oversight and Reform Committee, of which Cummings is the ranking member, show Cummings and his staff communicating with Lois Lerner while the IRS targeted True the Vote for abuse.

"Today's committee action reveals what we knew all along. Partisan politics and the weaponization of government against opponents of this administration is real and continues," said True the Vote president Catherine Engelbrecht. "Elijah Cummings has blocked the IRS abuse investigation all along. We now see clearly that two branches of government have colluded to target and silence private citizens.

"America has come to a tipping point," Engelbrecht said. "No more lies. No more cover-ups. No more collusion. Enough is enough. Finally, we have a chance for the rule of law to be re-established, thanks to the bold efforts of Chairman Issa and Rep. Jordan."

Engelbrecht added, "We filed an ethics complaint against Rep. Cummings in February. Today we're amending that filing to include this latest revelation. As I have said in my testimony before Congress; I will not retreat, I will not surrender, I will not be intimidated. I will not ask Rep. Cummings, Lois Lerner, Barack Obama, or anyone else, for permission to exercise my constitutional rights."

Click here for a copy of the letter from Chairman Issa and five Subcommittee Chairman to Ranking Member Cummings.

Click here for documents about Cummings'interactions with the IRS about True the Vote

The House Ways and Means Committee Republicans have not ruled out the “inherent contempt” authority to arrest former IRS chief Lois Lerner if Eric Holder continues to refuse to act on the panel’s vote to seek an investigation of Lerner and her role in the IRS targeting scandal. As The Washington Examiner reports, House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) spoke about the committee’s threat to hold Lerner in contempt:

The Ways and Means Committee, led by Chairman [Dave] Camp [R-Mich.], has conducted a serious and thorough investigation of the IRS, uncovering abuses and criminal acts that should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. As I've said, if Lois Lerner continues to refuse to testify, then the House will hold her in contempt. And we will continue to shine the light on the administration's abusive actions and use every tool at our disposal to expose the truth and ensure the American people get the answers they deserve.

The constitutional “inherent contempt” authority gives the House power to hold Lerner until a new Congress is convened in January 2015, which could then renew the subpoena if she continues to refuse to testify, though Republicans are not emphasizing that option. Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX) to The Washington Examiner, "I think we'll deal with that, should that occur, but I think this too is an ongoing investigation, and, frankly, for the attorney general to turn a blind eye to this evidence would discredit him greatly.”