Head Spinning Hypocrisy
Senator Graham Demands Transparent DOJ Investigation Involving Political Enemies As He Blocks One For Trump’s Labor Secretary
WASHINGTON, D.C. – While Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) is not known for his consistency in policy positions or political rhetoric, his latest political stunt may still be one for the ages in terms of rank hypocrisy. Graham is preparing legislation that threatens to bury the anticipated Mueller report unless the U.S. Attorney General agrees to “appoint a new special counsel to investigate ‘misconduct’ in the Department of Justice” related to right-wing conspiracy theories involving President Trump’s political enemies.
At the same time, Graham is using his power as Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee to block consideration of a bipartisan bill passed by the U.S. House that would give the DOJ Inspector General the authority to hold U.S. Attorneys accountable for misconduct. Why? Most likely because it would mean Alexander Acosta, Trump’s current Labor Secretary and former U.S. Attorney, would finally have to answer for his alleged crimes related to his secret plea deal that allowed wealthy and connected alleged serial pedophile Jeffrey Epstein to escape serious jail time and enjoy cushy work release privileges. Consumer advocacy group Allied Progress challenged Graham to get his rhetoric straight and back up his empty words with action by allowing consideration of the Inspector General Access Act in the Judiciary Committee today.
“If Senator Graham were at all serious about allowing transparent investigations into alleged misconduct within the Justice Department, he wouldn’t be sitting on a bill to do just that in his committee,” said Kyle Herrig, senior advisor to Allied Progress, which recently ran full-page ads urging Senator Graham and others to hold Sec. Acosta accountable by passing the Inspector General Access Act.“What’s transparent here is that Senator Graham is a shameless political opportunist that refuses to apply the same standards to the Trump administration that he does to his political enemies.”
- SEE ALSO: Allied Progress, 3/14: Acosta was involved in concealment of “victim information in another underage sex crimes case”
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
Lindsey Graham’s DOJ Investigation Hypocrisy
Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) Cares About Investigations Into Department Of Justice “‘Misconduct’” When It’s Convenient For Him.
Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) Demanded A New Special Counsel To Investigate The Department Of Justice’s “‘Misconduct’” In Its Hillary Clinton Email Probe While He Threatened To Oppose The Public Release Of The Mueller Report.
Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) Said He Would Oppose Congressional Action To Make Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s Report Public Unless A New Special Counsel Were Appointed To Investigate The Department Of Justice’s Conduct In Its Probe Into Hillary Clinton’s Email Practices. “Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said on Thursday that he could not back a congressional effort to make special counsel Robert Mueller’s final report public unless lawmakers tasked an entirely new special counsel with probing the Department of Justice’s handling of the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s emails, among other things.” [Sam Brodey, “Lindsey Graham: Don’t Make Mueller Report Public Without Setting Up Special Counsel to Probe Hillary’s Emails,” Daily Beast, 03/14/19]
Graham Sought To File An Amendment On Legislation To Make The Mueller Probe Public—His Amendment Would Require The Attorney General To Further Investigate “‘Misconduct’ In The Department Of Justice.” “On Thursday morning, the House passed—without a single no vote—a nonbinding resolution to make the Mueller report public. Hours later, Graham went to the floor aiming to file an amendment to the version the Senate would take up. It called for Attorney General William Barr to appoint a new special counsel to investigate ‘misconduct’ in the Department of Justice over the email investigation and the FBI’s surveillance of Carter Page, a former aide to the Trump campaign.” [Sam Brodey, “Lindsey Graham: Don’t Make Mueller Report Public Without Setting Up Special Counsel to Probe Hillary’s Emails,” Daily Beast, 03/14/19]
Lindsey Graham Has Argued That There Should Not “‘Two Systems’” And There Should Not Be Different Standards Applied In Different Investigations.
Graham Proclaimed That The Investigation Must “‘Find Out If The FBI And The DOJ Has Two Systems[…]’” Graham said, “’We let Mueller look at all things Trump related to collusion and otherwise. Somebody needs to look at what happened on the other side and find out if the FBI and the DOJ had two systems, one supporting the person they wanted to win and one out to get the person they wanted to lose.’” [Sam Brodey, “Lindsey Graham: Don’t Make Mueller Report Public Without Setting Up Special Counsel to Probe Hillary’s Emails,” Daily Beast, 03/14/19]
Meanwhile, Lindsey Graham Has Let The Inspector General Access Act Sit Idle In His Committee For Two Months.
The Inspector General Access Act of 2019 was referred to the Senate Committee on the Judiciary on January 16, 2019. [All Actions, H.R.202 – Inspector General Access Act of 2019, U.S. House of Representatives, 01/03/19]
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