The Wolin Side Step
Deputy Treasury Secretary Neal Wolin is carefully stage managing his role in the televised IRS drama.
One of four witnesses today before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Wolin carefully stepped outside of camera range when he and the other three witnesses stood to be sworn in, thereby keeping himself out of the iconic swear-in picture. His slid back into his place at the table after the swearing in.
Minutes later, after Lois Lerner, the IRS official who pleaded the Fifth and refused to answer questions, was dismissed from the panel, producing an empty seat between Wolin and the other two remaining witnesses, Wolin initially refused to move into the empty seat, next to the other witnesses.
“You want me to stay here?” he whispered to an aide when offered the empty seat.
A short time later committee chairman Darryl Issa insisted Wolin move into the empty seat, which he ultimately did.