The comittee's legal reasoning does not explicitly determin in 2 U.S.C. § 192 was violated. There is no indication if 2 U.S.C. § 192 is only applicable when the plantif has already given testmony and answered question...the refuses to answer further.
There is no indication that 2 U.S.C. § 192 can be used if the person claims the fifth before questioning begins. There is nothing in 2 U.S.C. § 192 that states that if a witness makes an opening statement that invalidates her ability to exert her 5th amendment right.
The committee gave no judicial ruling corroborating this claim.
2 U.S. Code § 192 - Refusal of witness to testify or produce papers | LII / Legal Information Institute
One very important fact of the use of U.S.C. § 192...If Ms. Lerner would have not made an opening statement, and the committee claim that MS. Lerner were required by law[U.S.C. § 192] to testify...then what sence does it make that they contend she waived her 5th amendment right?
If she were bound by U.S.C. § 192 to answer all regardless, then her waiving the 5th should be irrelevant.
What U.S.C. § 192 does not clairify is if Ms. Lerner's opening statement was a waiver to claiming the 5th.