McConnell: Obama Administration Trying to 'Shut People Up'

The Obama administration is trying to bully its way out of the Internal Revenue Service targeting scandal, says Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

He spoke on Fox News minutes after IRS official Lois Lerner pleaded the Fifth Amendment in a congressional hearing on the controversy.

"I think what we know for sure is that there is a culture of intimidation across this administration — the president demonizing his enemies, attempting to shut people up. There is certainly a culture of intimidation," McConnell said.

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"As to who knew what with regard to the IRS scandal, I think we need to have a complete and thorough investigation. That is going to occur. Today is just one of the early chapters in what is likely to be a quite lengthy book . . . before we finally know what happened and who knew what and when."

McConnell stressed that Congress intends to pursue "a serious investigation" that also includes, "interestingly enough," as he put it, a willingness on the part of the Democratic-controlled Senate to make it a thorough, bipartisan effort.