Should 'pleading the Fifth' require more strict responses?

These days, it seems like “pleading the Fifth” is overused.

Last week, senior Internal Revenue Service official Lois Lerner exercised her Fifth Amendment right during Congressional hearings regarding the recent IRS scandal about the agency’s targeting political groups for audits. But, being in a public position of power, should that come without consequences?

The Fifth Amendment was created to prevent witnesses from incriminating themselves while on the stand while answering questions. As we all know, lawyers are able to direct questions and guide discussions through clever wording, working to...