Lois Lerner is the Victim?

Lois Lerner, the official whose claim to fame is wrapped up within the IRS scandal.  The same person who went before a board of Congress members, ranted and raved at them, then turned and pled the 5th.  The same one whose e-mails mysteriously disappeared due to her laptops hard drive failing is now claiming something new.

Lois Lerner is ‘breaking’ her silence, at least according to a Political article, titled, ‘Exclusive: Lois Lerner breaks silence’ by Rachael Bade, in which the article tries to point out that instead of being a criminal, she is indeed the victim.

In the article Lerner claims “I didn’t do anything wrong.  I’m proud of my career and the job I did for this country.”

The entire article is an apology of sorts, trying hard to make Lerner sound like someone who is fair and balanced in her professional career, despite the fact the Rachael says the following about Lerner:

“The portrait that emerges shows Lerner is, indeed, fierce, unapologetic and perhaps even tone-deaf when she says things that show her Democratic leanings. She had a quick temper and may have intimidated co-workers who could have helped her out of this mess.”

However, the biggest problem for Lerner comes not from how others view her, but by her actions.  There is a known targeting scandal at the IRS, even liberals wanted to get to the bottom of it.  But Lerner, when given the ability to clear her name, instead choose to plead the 5th.  Such actions naturally cause people to question her innocence.

“Regardless of whatever else happens, I know I did the best I could under the circumstances and am not sorry for anything I did,” Lerner said, and indeed, Politico backs that up stating:

Yet Lerner is also described as “apolitical” and fair. Some say she was a generous boss who inspired loyalty, baking brownies and handing out lottery tickets to managers to raise morale. She’s putting her babysitter’s son through college and in 2005 flew to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina to rescue animals.

The rescuing animals is nice emotional touch here.  Designed to tug at the heartstrings of a reader and ignore the facts.  She is blocking the investigation by not coming forth with what she knows, and her ‘lost’ e-mails.

If Lerner is having a hard time gaining a new job, or finding people to back her, its due to what happened.  Perhaps its time she stand up and tell the truth instead of hiding.  After all, if you have nothing to hide, why are you hiding?