The Duplicity of Lindsey Graham

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FRED WERTHEIMER’S WEEKLY NOTE | August 30, 2018freadshot

“There is an old saying in politics: ‘My word is my bond.’ Apparently Senator Graham was out of town the day that lesson was taught.”

Want a classic example of why the American people have such low regard for Members of Congress?

Meet Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina.

In March 2018, Graham said, “I pledge to the American people, as a Republican, to make sure that Mr. Mueller can continue to do his job without any interference.”

In April 2018, he said, “It’s not about Mr. Mueller, it’s not about Trump, it’s about the rule of law. It’s about a system for today, tomorrow, and forever, that makes sure that nobody — even the President — is above scrutiny.”

In July 2018, Graham said he was “100 percent” behind Attorney General Sessions and that there would be “holy hell to pay” if President Trump fired Sessions.

In August 2018, Graham’s 100 percent support for Sessions dropped to zero, and his support for the Mueller investigation went with it.

With no real explanation for abandoning Sessions and Mueller, Graham said last week, “The president’s entitled to an attorney general he has faith in, somebody that’s qualified for the job, and I think there will come a time, sooner rather than later, where it will be time to have a new face and a fresh voice at the Department of Justice.”

Graham disingenuously claimed that “Nobody is going to take Jeff’s place that doesn’t commit to the Senate, and the country as a whole, that Mueller will be allowed to finish his job without political interference.”

Senator Graham’s statement is a flimsy attempt at deception.

Everyone knows President Trump would promptly move to cripple, if not kill, the Mueller investigation as soon as Sessions is gone, supervision of the investigation is removed from Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein, and the investigation is turned over to a new Trump “loyalist” Attorney General.

There is an old saying in politics: “My word is my bond.” Apparently Senator Graham was out of town the day that lesson was taught.

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Fred Wertheimer is the Founder and President of Democracy 21, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works to strengthen our democracy and ensure the integrity and fairness of government decisions and elections. See previous Notes from Fred here.