Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) tried to spin his involvement in the 2020 election meddling in Georgia when it was revealed he was recommended for indictment by the special purpose grand jury. House Select Committee member, Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), doesn't buy it.
Graham spoke out on Friday, explaining to reporters, "What I did was consistent with my job as being a U.S. senator, chair of the Judiciary Committee. I think the system in this country is getting off the rails and we have to be careful not to use the legal system as a political tool."
“If it ever becomes impossible or politically dangerous or legally dangerous for a United States senator to call up people to find out how the election was wrong, God help us all. The next election, if I have questions, I’ll do the same thing,” Graham continued. “I did my job. I wouldn’t change anything I did."
As a fact-check, a U.S. Senator doesn't have anything to do with an election unless it is to hold a hearing or propose, pass or vote on legislation. The special grand jury recommended District Attorney Fani Willis that Graham be indicted on "election interference" charges.
Speaking to CNN on Sunday, Lofgren flattened Graham's claim.
"Obviously the grand jury felt that these two former senators and current senator had violated the law," she said of the special grand jury. "And certainly Mr. Graham tried to assert that his activities were within his duties as a senator. That was rejected by the courts. He was not acting in the course of his duty as a senator. That's why he didn't get the protection of the 'Speech and Debate Clause.' So, I just assume that it has to do with the weight of the evidence that was available to the district attorney. And I'm glad that she used the discretion that she did in deciding who to indict and who to leave behind."
Graham fought having to testify before Georgia's grand jury, saying that the "Speech and Debate Clause" of the Constitution protected him against being questioned.
Not only did Graham lose the case in Georgia, but he also the case before the conservative 11th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals.
“Senator Graham has failed to demonstrate that he is likely to succeed on the merits of his appeal,” the 11th Circuit panel said in its ruling in Oct. 2022.
“Graham has failed to demonstrate that this approach will violate his rights under the Speech and Debate Clause," the ruling continued. “Even assuming that the Clause protects informal legislative investigations, the district court’s approach ensures that Senator Graham will not be questioned about such investigations."
"As the court determined, there is significant dispute about whether his phone calls with Georgia election officials were legislative investigations at all," the panel also said.
Graham appealed to the conservative U.S. Supreme Court, but on Nov. 1, 2022, they also denied his case.
"A stay or injunction is not necessary to safeguard the Senator’s speech or debate clause immunity," they wrote in an unsigned decision.
While Graham was not indicted by the district attorney, legal experts explain he's "not out of the woods yet."
Lofgren went on to say that she's grateful to see the courts uphold the contempt of Congress decision for Peter Navarro. She said that it is an important piece of the rights that Congress has and as long as they are doing legitimate investigations and have legitimate reasons for the subpoena, the individual should comply.
See the interview in the video below or at the link here.