Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) is in the fight for his political career, but his focus is on investigating former special counsel Robert Mueller for his investigation into President Donald Trump. While Graham is rattling off talking points about what he wants to ask Mueller, the hearing not only hasn't been scheduled, it may not even happen.
Politico reported Tuesday that Graham has described himself as “hellbent” on investigating the investigators in the Mueller probe. It is a talking point his golfing buddy, Trump, has demanded in the months following Mueller's findings that the president obstructed justice at least ten times. Pledges to press Mueller about the Russia investigation have been going on for almost a year, when GOP members began questioning the FISA warrant that ordered the monitoring of Trump's foreign policy adviser Carter Page.
“He has a lot to account for — and we’ll see how he does” at a hearing, Graham told former Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-SC) during his Fox News podcast.
The problem, however, is that this tough talk and pledge to hold Mueller accountable has not only been going on for a year, it still isn't even scheduled yet.
"Graham went on to preview his intended line of questioning for Mueller — though it’s unclear whether such a hearing will actually take place," Politico said. "A spokesman for the committee did not respond to requests for comment about the panel’s plans. It’s also not certain that Mueller would even be willing to testify; he was reluctant to appear before the two House committees last year, and he agreed to talk only after receiving a subpoena."
Over the weekend, Mueller wrote an editorial for the Washington Post calling Roger Stone a convicted felon. Graham called it interjecting himself into the Stone case, a case for which Mueller investigated.
“Bottom line is, I had no intention of calling Mr. Mueller. He testified before the House. It was not pretty to watch. But at the end of the day, Trey, he decided to interject himself into the Roger Stone case,” Graham told Gowdy.
It's a strange twist for Graham, who once said that the Senate should pass a Mueller protection bill to prevent the president from firing the special counsel.
“I think Mitch should bring it to the floor and let’s vote on it. I think the best thing the Senate could do is just bring this bill to the floor and vote on it,” said Graham on “Meet the Press.”
Since then, Graham has "turned on the investigation, citing new revelations that he says call into question the genesis of the probe. He told Gowdy that the Mueller investigation was 'probably one of the most corrupt investigations since J. Edgar Hoover at the FBI,'" Politico reported.
“I am hellbent on making sure that somebody investigates the investigators,” Graham said. “The time has come for us to look at the other side of the story. Stay tuned. There’s going to be a lot of stuff come out.”
However, only if the hearing actually happens and it isn't just political bluster before an election.
