There was a time that Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) commanded a certain amount of respect in the Senate, but I think that’s coming to an end. It’s not just the political threats he’s making against those who appear ready to apply proper oversight over the President, but the logic that he’s applying in the process. Someone has nicely supplied a Tweet summarizing an interview Graham had with Sean Hannity of Fox Propaganda News:
Here’s Lindsay Graham on Sean Hannity last night, threatening House Democrats that if he’s in charge of Senate Judiciary and they investigate Trump-Russia, he’ll investigate whether “political bias” in FBI Hillary Clinton email server and Trump-Russia probes. pic.twitter.com/SSjTVFDGoD
— Matthew Gertz (@MattGertz) November 15, 2018
So what’s the problem here?
Graham is arguably committing a crime if he doesn’t investigate the Democrats!
Look, if he suspects one or more crimes have been committed, and he doesn’t either investigate himself, or present his credible evidence to the FBI, then he is effectively a co-conspirator, and thus equally guilty as the Democrats of any crime they may have committed.
All of which makes me think this is empty-headed bluster by a guy who’s been given his orders by Party Leader Trump, and he’s busy trying to carry them out. Right now, he’s offered a bribe to the Democrats – you don’t investigate us, we won’t investigate you. That just might be an illegal offer worthy of scrutiny by the FBI, and even if it isn’t, it looks like an exceedingly bad offer for a sitting Senator to make.
But the Democrats won’t care, I suspect. Clinton may still be a force in the Party, but honestly Democrats have seen her lose twice now in Presidential bids, and understand her limits (along with her age). More entertainingly, they are undoubtedly willing to let her have another go with a Congressional investigatory committee – after all, it’s another chance for her take a bite out of the ass of a bunch of incompetent Republicans who are chasing a Sasquatch across the landscape. Hell, Clinton herself may relish a chance to bounce Graham up and down a few more times.
And the Democrats should be willing to let all of Graham’s threats be promulgated, because it’s their professional duty to implement this oversight and investigation. Graham should know all about this, he’s an adult.
Which all makes me wonder if it’s Senator Graham or Thumb-Puppet Graham. It’s just so stupid. Unless Graham has decided that in order to keep the respect of Trump, he has to “hit back twice as hard.” But does it really makes sense to desire the respect of a liar? Hell, what does that even mean?
And, yes, Senator Grassley has given up his chairmanship of the Judiciary Committee, clearing the way for Graham to be appointed to the post.
