Lindsey Graham |
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Lindsey Olin Graham (born July 9, 1955) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the senior United States senator from South Carolina, a seat he has held since 2003. A member of the Republican Party, Graham chaired the Senate Committee on the Judiciary from 2019 to 2021. A native of Central, South Carolina, Graham received his Juris Doctor degree from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1981. Most of his active duty during his military service happened from 1982 to 1988, when he served with the Judge Advocate General's Corps in the United States Air Force, as a defense attorney and then as the Air Force's chief prosecutor in Europe, based in West Germany. Later his entire service in the U.S. Air Force Reserve ran concurrently with his congressional career. He was awarded a Bronze Star Medal for meritorious service in 2014 and held the rank of colonel. Graham worked as a lawyer in private practice before serving one term in the South Carolina House of Representatives from 1993 to 1995. He served four terms in the United States House of Representatives for South Carolina's 3rd congressional district from 1995 to 2003. In 2002, Graham won the U.S. Senate seat vacated by retiring Republican incumbent Strom Thurmond. He was reelected to a fourth term in 2020. In the Senate Graham advocates for strong national defense and aggressive interventionist foreign policy. Initially, he was known for his willingness to be bipartisan and work with Democrats on issues like campaign finance reform, a ban on waterboarding, cap and trade, immigration reform, and judicial nominees. He has criticized the Tea Party movement, arguing for a more inclusive Republican Party. Graham sought the Republican nomination for president between June and December 2015, dropping out before the 2016 Republican primaries began. He was an outspoken critic of Donald Trump's 2016 candidacy and repeatedly said he did not support Trump; in particular, he took issue with Trump's comments on Graham's close friend, Senator John McCain. He became chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee in January 2019, and led the U.S. Supreme Court confirmation hearings for Amy Coney Barrett, who was confirmed in October 2020. |
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Graham backtracks on earlier Jan. 6 criticism of Trump: ‘It depends on what the conduct is’
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) on Sunday appeared to backtrack on earlier criticism of former President Trump’s actions on Jan. 6 and suggested instead that his presidential immunity defense was “a legitimate claim” as he moves forward with various court battles. In an interview on CBS News’s “Face the Nation,” Graham was pressed on whether he stands by his 2021 statement that Trump could still be prosecuted for wrongdoing and that “the president’s conduct is subject to the law of the land.” (Sarah Fortinsky/The Hill 12/31/23)
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Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) on Sunday appeared to backtrack on earlier criticism of former President Trump’s actions on Jan. 6 and suggested instead that his presidential immunity defense was “a legitimate claim” as he moves forward with various court battles. In an interview on CBS News’s “Face the Nation,” Graham was pressed on whether he stands by his 2021 statement that Trump could still be prosecuted for wrongdoing and that “the president’s conduct is subject to the law of the land.” (Sarah Fortinsky/The Hill 12/31/23)
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May 20, 2023; Joy Reid
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April 7, 2023: LGBTQ Nation: Tennessee House expels two Black male members but not the White female member
South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, objected to a resolution offered by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer that would have allowed another senator to take Feinstein's place on the panel while the Democrat recuperates from a case of shingles. Republicans have argued that Democrats only want a stand-in to push through the most partisan judges, noting that many of Biden’s nominees have bipartisan support and can move to the Senate floor for a vote.
South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, objected to a resolution offered by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer that would have allowed another senator to take Feinstein's place on the panel while the Democrat recuperates from a case of shingles. Republicans have argued that Democrats only want a stand-in to push through the most partisan judges, noting that many of Biden’s nominees have bipartisan support and can move to the Senate floor for a vote.
Mar 20, 2023: Denver Post: Trump indictment would be unprecedented moment in U.S. history
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s team appears to be looking at whether Trump or anyone committed crimes in New York state in arranging the payments, or in the way they accounted for them internally at the Trump Organization.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s team appears to be looking at whether Trump or anyone committed crimes in New York state in arranging the payments, or in the way they accounted for them internally at the Trump Organization.
Feb 1, 2023: NBC News: Sen. Tim Scott heading to Iowa amid 2024 buzz
Scott's events come as multiple Republicans have been openly considering challenging former President Donald Trump for the GOP nomination. Trump held his first major campaign events in New Hampshire and South Carolina last week, where he was endorsed by high-ranking Republicans in the Palmetto State, including Gov. Henry McMaster and GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham.
Scott's events come as multiple Republicans have been openly considering challenging former President Donald Trump for the GOP nomination. Trump held his first major campaign events in New Hampshire and South Carolina last week, where he was endorsed by high-ranking Republicans in the Palmetto State, including Gov. Henry McMaster and GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham.
Jan 24, 2023: The Hill: Pence documents complicate GOP attack lines on Biden
“The bottom line is, I don’t know how this happened. We need to get to the bottom of it,” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) told reporters Tuesday. “I don’t believe for a minute that Mike Pence is trying to intentionally compromise national security.”
“And so what became a political problem for Republicans is now a national security problem for the country,” Graham said.
“The bottom line is, I don’t know how this happened. We need to get to the bottom of it,” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) told reporters Tuesday. “I don’t believe for a minute that Mike Pence is trying to intentionally compromise national security.”
“And so what became a political problem for Republicans is now a national security problem for the country,” Graham said.
New York Times: Supreme Court Rules That Lindsey Graham Must Testify in Georgia Inquiry
“The lower courts assumed that the informal investigative fact finding that Senator Graham assertedly engaged in constitutes legislative activity protected by the speech or debate clause” of the Constitution, the order said, “and they held that Senator Graham may not be questioned about such activities.” 11.1.22
“The lower courts assumed that the informal investigative fact finding that Senator Graham assertedly engaged in constitutes legislative activity protected by the speech or debate clause” of the Constitution, the order said, “and they held that Senator Graham may not be questioned about such activities.” 11.1.22
Nov 1, 2022: CNN: Supreme Court rejects Lindsey Graham’s request to block Georgia grand jury subpoena
The Supreme Court declined on Tuesday to block a subpoena for Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham to testify in front of an Atlanta special grand jury investigating efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election in Georgia.
There were no public dissents from the order
The Supreme Court declined on Tuesday to block a subpoena for Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham to testify in front of an Atlanta special grand jury investigating efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election in Georgia.
There were no public dissents from the order
NBC News: Supreme Court declines to block subpoena of Lindsey Graham in Georgia election probe 11.1.22
Oct 21, 2022: Roll Call: Graham seeks delay from Supreme Court on Georgia testimony
Sen. Lindsey Graham asked the Supreme Court on Friday to temporarily block a subpoena from a Georgia grand jury investigating efforts to overturn former President Donald Trump's loss in the state in 2020.
Sen. Lindsey Graham asked the Supreme Court on Friday to temporarily block a subpoena from a Georgia grand jury investigating efforts to overturn former President Donald Trump's loss in the state in 2020.
Insider: Sen. Lindsey Graham threatened to end a meeting with the mother of a late Capitol police officer if she didn't stop criticizing Trump, new book claims 10.8.22
July 6, 2022: NPR: Lindsey Graham will fight Georgia 2020 election subpoena, his lawyers say
Attorneys representing Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said Wednesday he intends to challenge a subpoena compelling him to testify before a special grand jury in Georgia investigating former President Donald Trump and his allies' actions after the 2020 election.
Attorneys representing Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said Wednesday he intends to challenge a subpoena compelling him to testify before a special grand jury in Georgia investigating former President Donald Trump and his allies' actions after the 2020 election.
Oct 13, 2020: NPR: Barrett, An Originalist, Says Meaning Of Constitution 'Doesn't Change Over Time'
In the very first question put to her in Day 2 of her Supreme Court confirmation hearings, Judge Amy Coney Barrett was asked to define, "in English," the meaning of the legal concept of originalism.
It was a bit of a softball coming from Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Barrett had no trouble knocking it out of the park.
In the very first question put to her in Day 2 of her Supreme Court confirmation hearings, Judge Amy Coney Barrett was asked to define, "in English," the meaning of the legal concept of originalism.
It was a bit of a softball coming from Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Barrett had no trouble knocking it out of the park.
June 27, 2015: Politico: In Lindsey Graham's hometown, resentment over the Confederate flag
'He went from being all right to a coward,' says one resident.
'He went from being all right to a coward,' says one resident.
==2022=============================
Feb 13, 2022: Lindsey Graham Cowers, Kisses the Ring When Confronted About Trump Calling Him a RINO: He’s the ‘Most Dominant Figure’ in the GOP. ABC’s George Stephanopoulos confronted Lindsey Graham (R-SC) about former President Donald Trump insulting him, during an interview with the senator on Sunday’s edition of This Week.
March 3, 2022: Graham tweeted that "The only way this ends is for somebody in Russia to take this guy out" in response to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. The tweet sparked controversy after Graham called for the assassination of Vladimir Putin.
Congrats Lindsey -- you were right. pic.twitter.com/1CSqMZZ32R
— Mets Gave Me a Rock™ (@MetsFanInPhilly) October 25, 2022
==2021==============================
January 6, 2021: Graham, Vice President Mike Pence, and members of the Senate and House were evacuated from the Capitol building after Trump supporters attacked the United States Capitol. The joint session of Congress reconvened late into the night and the early morning in the Senate chamber to count and confirm the Electoral College votes. Graham spoke, disagreeing with many of his Republican colleagues, who mostly supported Trump's denials of the election's results, saying, "it's a uniquely bad idea to delay this election", and though "I hate it", they could "count me out, enough is enough". He finished by saying, "Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are lawfully elected and will become the President and the Vice President of the United States on January the 20th.
140 officers were hurt. But today Lindsey Graham excused Trump & blamed police for not doing more to protect the Capitol🙄🙄 --Zorek Richards 2/10/21
May 28, 2021: Graham voted against creating the January 6 commission.
July 8, 2021: Graham called President Biden's decision to withdraw troops from Afghanistan a "disaster in the making."
August 2, 2021: Graham announced he tested positive for COVID-19.
August 8, 2021: Graham became the first fully vaccinated senator to test positive for COVID-19
==2020=====================
March 12, 2020: Graham self-quarantined because of coronavirus.
November 3, 2020: Graham won re-election to the U.S. Senate to represent South Carolina in the general election.
November 3, 2020: Graham won re-election to the U.S. Senate to represent South Carolina in the general election.
==2019=====================
March 11, 2019: Graham said he would encourage the Trump administration to recognize the Golan Heights as part of Israel.
March 14, 2019: Graham blocked a resolution calling for Mueller's report to be made public after it passed the House unanimously.
May 14, 2019: Graham came under scrutiny, including from Senator Joe Manchin, after encouraging Donald Trump Jr. to ignore a subpoena delivered by the Senate Intelligence Committee.
June 25, 2019: Graham said, "The president gave 1.4 million documents to Mueller. [Don] McGahn, his lawyer, testified for 30 hours. He made everybody available to Mueller that Mueller wanted to talk to, and he... answered questions in writing, so this president did nothing to stop Mueller from finding the truth."
October 8, 2019: During an interview with Jonathan Swan of Axios, Graham condemned Trump's announcement of an intention to withdraw U.S. troops from northern Syria, saying that Trump was putting the nation and his presidency at risk, and that it was without the support of key national security advisers.
March 14, 2019: Graham blocked a resolution calling for Mueller's report to be made public after it passed the House unanimously.
May 14, 2019: Graham came under scrutiny, including from Senator Joe Manchin, after encouraging Donald Trump Jr. to ignore a subpoena delivered by the Senate Intelligence Committee.
June 25, 2019: Graham said, "The president gave 1.4 million documents to Mueller. [Don] McGahn, his lawyer, testified for 30 hours. He made everybody available to Mueller that Mueller wanted to talk to, and he... answered questions in writing, so this president did nothing to stop Mueller from finding the truth."
October 8, 2019: During an interview with Jonathan Swan of Axios, Graham condemned Trump's announcement of an intention to withdraw U.S. troops from northern Syria, saying that Trump was putting the nation and his presidency at risk, and that it was without the support of key national security advisers.
==2017=====================
January 5, 2017: Graham condemned Obama for abstaining from UN Security Council Resolution 2334, which condemned Israeli settlement building in the West Bank and eastern Jerusalem as a violation of international law.
March 2017: After a meeting with Trump, Graham became a staunch ally of his, often issuing public statements in his defense. His reversal caught both parties by surprise and sparked media speculation.
==2016==========================
January 15, 2016: Graham endorsed former Florida Governor Jeb Bush for president.
Lindsey Graham Files
"We're going to lose. You'll never convince me that Donald Trump is the answer to the problem we have with Hispanics. It will tear the party apart, it will divide conservatism, and we're gonna lose to Hillary Clinton and have the third term of Barack Obama. ... Here's what I want to tell people when we lose to Hillary: I told you that the immigration issue is killing us. We're doubling down on the problem we have with Hispanics. We went from self-deportation to forced deportation. Have you ever heard the statement too big to fail? We're too stubborn to win. So here's what I'm going to say in November when we lose: I told you so." -Lindsey Graham 3.2.16
November 8, 2016: Graham announced that he had voted for Evan McMullin.
==2015================================
Jan 27, 2015: Sen. Lindsey Graham is a harsh critic of President Barack Obama's Middle East policy, and says his biggest mistake is yet to come: Allowing Iran to get nuclear weapons.
March 7, 2015: At a "Politics and Pies" forum, Graham advocated the reversal of defense spending cuts and quipped: "If I were President of the United States, I wouldn't let Congress leave town until we fix this. I would literally use the military to keep them in if I had to."
Mar 15, 2015: Sen. Lindsey Graham, best known as John McCain's bff, is running for president. Or, anyway, making all the motions of a person running for president. Graham tells Politico that he will address his skeptics head-on, aggressively explaining his arguments that a president deserves to have well-qualified nominees; that both sides need to give a little to put the country on a sound fiscal path; and that a major immigration bill is the way to deal with the range of problems to fix a broken visa system and lax security at the borders. Overall, the message he plans to espouse: It’s better to have a president who is pragmatic than an ideological hard-liner.
Mar 24, 2015: Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said he didn't know what the Republican party's environmental platform is, but he does know that GOP inaction on climate change is Al Gore's fault.
April 19, 2015: Graham told Chris Wallace, on the Fox News Sunday show, that he was "91% sure" he would run for president. "If I can raise the money, I'll do it."
May 11, 2015
May 18, 2015: Graham informally announced that he would run for president on CBS This Morning, saying he was running because he thinks "the world is falling apart.
May 27, 2015
June 1, 2015: Graham officially announced his candidacy for President.
June 11, 2015: Erin Burnett (CNN) interviewed Republican presidential hopeful Rick Santorum in a taped sit-down chat earlier today. But rather than sticking purely to substantial issues, the CNN anchor also posed two rather trivial queries, one about a hot microphone comment Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) made about fellow Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) being a "bro without a ho," and another regarding if Rick Santorum approves of Bruce Jenner's newfound lifestyle as Caitlyn, a transgendered woman.
June 19, 2015
December 21, 2015: Lindsey Graham suspended his presidential campaign, due to lack of support and poor polling.
2014
Apr 24, 2014: Det Bowers, a pastor challenging Lindsey Graham in the South Carolina GOP Senate primary, once blamed women for causing most divorces — even when husbands are unfaithful to their wives “And yet, I find that in about 95 percent of broken marriages, though the husband’s the one that ran out on his wife, the wife loves her children more than she does her husband,” Bowers said in an audio recording obtained by POLITICO. “That is an abominable idolatry.”
May 2, 2014: Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) committed the ultimate act of disrespect to President Obama and the presidency itself when he called White House officials scumbags who are lying about Benghazi.
May 2, 2014
Sept 10, 2014: Lindsey Graham told reporter Alex Seitz-Wald of MSNBC that if the ISIS threat didn’t make people rethink their views on Edward Snowden and the NSA, “they’re crazy.”
==2013==========================
January 28, 2013: Graham was a member of a bipartisan group of eight senators that announced principles for comprehensive immigration reform.
January 29, 2013: Graham said that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton "got away with murder" after her testimony about the 2012 Benghazi attack.
February 28, 2013: Graham criticized Obama and both political parties on the Senate floor for allowing the budget reduction to occur with "two-thirds of the budget" exempt from reductions and said the impact on the Department of Defense would create a "hollow military" that "invites aggression."
June 23, 2013: Graham said that the Senate was close to obtaining 70 votes to pass the reform package.
July 16, 2013: Graham suggested the United States should consider boycotting the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, because of "what the Russian government is doing throughout the world".
July 25, 2013: The U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations unanimously adopted an amendment by Graham to the Fiscal Year 2014 Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Bill that sought sanctions against any country that offered asylum to former NSA contractor Edward Snowden
October 28, 2013: Graham took to Twitter to state that he would block each of Barack Obama's nominees on the Senate floor until information about the survivors of the attack in Benghazi, Libya was released.
January 29, 2013: Graham said that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton "got away with murder" after her testimony about the 2012 Benghazi attack.
February 28, 2013: Graham criticized Obama and both political parties on the Senate floor for allowing the budget reduction to occur with "two-thirds of the budget" exempt from reductions and said the impact on the Department of Defense would create a "hollow military" that "invites aggression."
June 23, 2013: Graham said that the Senate was close to obtaining 70 votes to pass the reform package.
July 16, 2013: Graham suggested the United States should consider boycotting the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, because of "what the Russian government is doing throughout the world".
July 25, 2013: The U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations unanimously adopted an amendment by Graham to the Fiscal Year 2014 Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Bill that sought sanctions against any country that offered asylum to former NSA contractor Edward Snowden
October 28, 2013: Graham took to Twitter to state that he would block each of Barack Obama's nominees on the Senate floor until information about the survivors of the attack in Benghazi, Libya was released.
==2011============================
April 3, 2011: On appearance on Face the Nation, Graham "suggested that Congress take unspecified though formal action against the Koran-burning by Florida preacher Terry Jones", in light of an attack on United Nations personnel triggered by Jones's actions. Asserting that "Congress might need to explore the need to limit some forms of freedom of speech", Graham argued, "Free speech is a great idea, but we're in a war," and claimed that "during World War II, we had limits on what you could say if it would inspire the enemy."
==2010=========================
July 29, 2010: Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) says that the United States should end its policy of guaranteeing citizenship to the children of undocumented immigrants as ensured by the 14th amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
November 6, 2010: Graham called for a preemptive military strike to weaken the Iranian regime.
==2009============================
December 10, 2009: Graham and Senators John Kerry and Joe Lieberman co-sponsored a letter to President Obama announcing their commitment to passing a climate change bill and outlining its framework.
==2005=========================
May 23, 2005: Graham was one of the so-called Gang of 14 senators forging a compromise that brought a halt to the continued blockage of an up-or-down vote on judicial nominees.
==2003==========================
Jan 3, 2003: Grasham was sworn in as a United States Senator for South Carolina.
==1998=========================
October 8, 1998: Graham voted in favor of legislation to open an impeachment inquiry of Bill Clinton. He was a member of the Judiciary Committee, which conducted the inquiry.
==1955=====================
July 9, 1955: Lindsey Olin Graham was born in Central, South Carolina