Lois Lerner, the head of the IRS operation that targeted Tea Party groups is being thrown under the bus by Obama. As both John McCormack of The Weekly Standard and Bryan Preston of the PJ Tatler noticed, in the wake of her taking of the Fifth Amendment before the Issa Committee today, two Obama media operatives, both veterans of Journolist who were called into the White House yesterday for consultations, both called for her firing. The two are the Washington Post's Ezra Klein and Josh Marshall of Talking Points Memorandum.

Even Democrats are calling for a special prosecutor. When one is appointed, he or she will be able to squeeze the medium-sized fish to go after the bigger fish.

Once again, Obama has demonstrated to his underlings that loyalty is one way street with him. That may be a mistake because Lerner may well have waived her Fifth Amendment protections by giving testimony on the questions before her, in the form of a statement claiming she did nothing illegal. Once she started testifying, she cannot stop, claimed Rep. Trey Gowdy. The matter is being referred to counsel, and Lerner may be compelled to testify. Now, she has no reason at all to protect higher-ups.

It's also an indication of just how worried the White House is, and how it intends to contain the scandal. First, get reliably friendly bloggers and columnists on board with a story that focuses attention away from the White House. Then, isolate and target someone who has already become a central figure in the scandal and, more importantly, who does not work directly for the White House. Finally, make it appear as if these reliably friendly bloggers actually take the IRS scandal seriously.

Lois Lerner, the head of the IRS operation that targeted Tea Party groups is being thrown under the bus by Obama. As both John McCormack of The Weekly Standard and Bryan Preston of the PJ Tatler noticed, in the wake of her taking of the Fifth Amendment before the Issa Committee today, two Obama media operatives, both veterans of Journolist who were called into the White House yesterday for consultations, both called for her firing. The two are the Washington Post's Ezra Klein and Josh Marshall of Talking Points Memorandum.





Preston writes:

The synchronicity is striking. It's also an indication of just how worried the White House is, and how it intends to contain the scandal. First, get reliably friendly bloggers and columnists on board with a story that focuses attention away from the White House. Then, isolate and target someone who has already become a central figure in the scandal and, more importantly, who does not work directly for the White House. Finally, make it appear as if these reliably friendly bloggers actually take the IRS scandal seriously.

Once again, Obama has demonstrated to his underlings that loyalty is one way street with him. That may be a mistake because Lerner may well have waived her Fifth Amendment protections by giving testimony on the questions before her, in the form of a statement claiming she did nothing illegal. Once she started testifying, she cannot stop, claimed Rep. Trey Gowdy. The matter is being referred to counsel, and Lerner may be compelled to testify. Now, she has no reason at all to protect higher-ups.

Even Democrats are calling for a special prosecutor. When one is appointed, he or she will be able to squeeze the medium-sized fish to go after the bigger fish.