GOP Congressman: We May Vote to Hold Lois Lerner in Contempt ‘as Early as Next Week’

Following an explosive exchange with Rep. Elijah Cummings during a House Oversight Committee hearing on Wednesday, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) confirmed that Congress could decide to hold Lois Lerner in contempt as “early as next week.”

Lerner, the former IRS official at the center of the agency’s targeting scandal, has invoked her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination when asked to testify.

“Are you going to seek to hold her in contempt for not answering the questions?” host Greta Van Susteren asked.

“Well, you know that the Speaker, he called, he thought that was appropriate today,” Issa replied. “Our committee will consider it. I’ve conferred with some of my members. I plan on meeting them before we leave this week. And, we could consider doing it as early as next week.”

Lerner's attorney recently said his client would testify in exchange for immunity, leading some to speculate that she is hiding something.

But Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) quickly shot that idea down, saying Lerner "will never" be granted a blind immunity deal in the IRS targeting scandal.