Tag: Lindsey Graham

Ripping Down Trump’s Phony ’Treason’ Conspiracy

History matters, especially when an unscrupulous president constantly seeks to revise and distort fundamental facts as events unfold. This week, a courageous law enforcement official stepped forward to correct the record at last, and under oath.

Over the past two years, as the Russia and Ukraine investigations unfolded, President Donald Trump has tried repeatedly to turn the expanding indictment of his own criminal misconduct into a case against his political adversaries. “Treason!” he tweets every few days, punctuating his outlandish claim that the investigations of sleazy and potentially unlawful behavior by him, members of his family, his campaign aides and his appointees represented a nefarious “deep state” conspiracy.

Although Trump himself lacks any capacity to articulate these absurdities — let alone prove them — the usual suspects at Fox News Channel and on Capitol Hill have spent many hours fabricating a narrative (while occasionally fabricating “proof,” too). They claim that the original investigation of the Trump campaign’s ties to Russia was illegitimate, as was the stunning indictment of national security adviser Michael Flynn during the new administration’s early days. Continue reading.

Yates spars with GOP at testy hearing

The Hill logoRepublican senators sparred on Wednesday with former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates over investigations into former Trump aides that were related to Russia’s interference in the 2016 election. 

Yates testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee as part of Chairman Lindsey Graham’s (R-S.C.) probe into the origins of the FBI’s Russia investigation and former special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation. Graham is one of two Senate Republicans running probes into the Obama administration’s investigations of Russia. 

The hearing, however, also had overtones of the 2020 election. Graham is a key Senate ally of President Trump, and the investigations are ramping up with less than 100 days to go before the 2020 election. Trump is badly trailing presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden in national and key swing-state polls. Continue reading.

Graham Backs Masked Federal Agents Sent By Trump To Arrest And Assault Protesters

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) praised Donald Trump for sending federal law enforcement agents in full tactical military gear into Portland, Oregon, saying Trump “is right to demand that law and order be restored in American cities.”

“These protests and riots are getting out of hand, jeopardizing public safety and economic recovery,” Graham tweeted Monday afternoon. “If federal law enforcement officials are necessary to do the job and President Trump chooses to go down this path, I completely support him.”

Federal agents, dressed in camouflage, have been firing off tear gas and even abducting peaceful protesters off the streets in unmarked vans — leading to an uproar about federal overreach. Continue reading.

Conservatives fear Lindsey Graham’s plan to help Trump’s re-election will blow up in his face

AlterNet logoAccording to a report at the Daily Beast, some Republicans, as well as advisors to Donald Trump, are questioning Sen. Lindsey Graham’s decision to relitigate the investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller into the Trump administration’s connections to Russia so close to the election saying it could come back to haunt both the president and Graham himself.

Last week Graham, who heads up the Senate Judiciary Committee, stated that he was willing to call Mueller back to testify again about his investigation and that has some conservatives nervous.

In an interview with the Beast this week, Graham admitted, “I was reluctant to call him because it was hard to watch [him testify] in the House. I just think, if he decided to comment on the Stone case… OK, let’s hear what you’ve got to say.” Continue reading.

Sen. Graham says Mueller may be invited to testify in wake of op-ed on Trump’s commutation of Stone sentence

Washington Post logoSenate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.) suggested Sunday that former special counsel Robert S. Mueller III may be invited to testify before his panel, although Graham did not give any details on the timing of any potential invitation.

Graham’s statement came one day after Mueller defended his office’s prosecution of Roger Stone, President Trump’s longtime friend and political adviser, in a Washington Post op-ed.

Trump commuted Stone’s 40-month prison sentence on Friday, using his presidential authority to undermine the unanimous finding by a jury that Stone broke the law multiple times by lying to Congress and obstructing justice. Continue reading.

GOP votes to give Graham broad subpoena power in Obama-era probe

The Hill logoThe Senate Judiciary Committee voted Thursday to authorize subpoenas for more than 50 individuals as Republicans ramp up their investigation into the 2016 Russia probe.

In a 12-10 party-line vote, Republicans on the panel gave Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) broad authority to subpoena the individuals, who include high-profile Obama administration officials, for interviews or documents tied to his investigation.

Graham, who has aligned himself closely with Trump in a year both are seeking reelection, has defended the probe, despite deep frustrations among members of the committee. Continue reading.

What, exactly, is Lindsey Graham talking about?

South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham is a good talker.

He knows it. And sometimes, he seems to lean too heavily on his unerring belief that he can pull off saying just about anything.

Take, for example, Graham’s response Thursday when asked about former Defense Secretary James Mattis’ pointed criticism of President Donald Trump and the way he has led the nation. Continue reading.

Graham postpones Russia probe subpoena vote as tensions boil over

The Hill logoSenate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) postponed a vote on authorizing subpoenas for more than 50 individuals as Republicans ramp up their investigation into the Russia probe.

Graham said he was delaying the vote to give senators enough time to fully debate the issue, as the meeting brushed up against a pre-scheduled vote on the Senate floor.

“We’re going to do what this committee needs to do, and we’re going to fight it out and we’re going to vote. And we’re not going to be done today, so I don’t see a resolution this day, if you need to go somewhere go. … I think the best thing for us to do is [to] carry this over to next week so we can have a full discussion,” he said. Continue reading.

GOP chairmen stake out turf in Obama-era probes

The Hill logoGOP chairmen are carving out their turf in controversial probes stemming from the Obama administration.

Senate Republicans are set to escalate their investigations on Thursday, when two panels will vote on dueling subpoenas that have significant areas of overlap.

But Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Ron Johnson (R-Wis.)—who chair the Judiciary and Homeland Security committees, respectively — say they are trying to avoid a jurisdictional fight as they prepare to do a deep dive into decisions stemming from the Obama era.  Continue reading.

Graham urges senior judges to step aside so Trump, GOP can replace them

The Hill logoSenate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) is publicly urging judges in their mid- to late-60s to consider stepping aside ahead of Election Day to help ensure that their seats could be filled by Republicans.  

Asked during an interview with radio host Hugh Hewitt if he knew if any judges would take “senior status,” a semi-retirement status that opens up their seat, Graham said, “if you are, take it.”

“This is an historic opportunity. We’ve put over 200 federal judges on the bench. I think one in five federal judges are Trump appointees. …So if you’re a circuit judge in your mid-60s, late 60s, you can take senior status, now would be a good time to do that if you want to make sure the judiciary is right of center. This is a good time to do it,” Graham added.  Continue reading.