Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, one of Donald Trump's staunchest allies, has made it quite clear that he is not interested in revie...
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, one of Donald Trump's staunchest allies, has made it quite clear that he is not interested in reviewing or considering the evidence uncovered in the impeachment inquiry against the president. But that position goes directly against what he said back in 1998 during the impeachment inquiry against President Bill Clinton.
As resurfaced footage shows, Graham, who then served in the House of Representatives, was highly critical of members of Congress who had already made up their mind to not impeach Clinton, even before the evidence came to light. He urged his colleagues to consider the facts at the time.
"Some people have said, 'I won't vote for impeachment.' Some House members have said, 'I will not vote for an impeachment,'" the congressman said in November 1998. "Let me tell you, please don't say that until you understand what you're voting on."
He went on: "Members of the Senate have said, 'I understand everything there is about this case, and I won't vote to impeach the president.' Please allow the facts to do the talking. Nobody knows what the articles of impeachment are. People have made up their mind in a political fashion that will hurt this country long term."
He cautioned: "If you can't vote for impeachment, give us the due justice to the case. Don't decide the case before the case is in. And this bothers me greatly."
The remarks stand in stark contrast to Graham's position on the impeachment inquiry against Trump, just over two decades later. In fact, Graham has said he plans to do exactly what he urged lawmakers not to do in 1998.
"What's happening in the House is basically un-American," the senator told conservative Fox News host Sean Hannity last week. He said that he did not plan to watch the first public hearing of the impeachment inquiry "because I think it is a threat to the presidency. I don't want to legitimize it, it's un-American, it denies the basics of due process."
"I would like Republicans to say, 'This is a bunch of garbage,'" he asserted.
Graham previously described House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff's statement about the impeachment inquiry as "full of crap." He said he will not be reading the impeachment transcripts because he believes the "whole process" is "a bunch of B.S."
Graham voted with Republicans in the House to impeach Clinton in 1998. However, the Senate acquitted the president of the charges, because the required two-thirds majority did not vote to remove the president. That impeachment process was largely partisan, with Republicans opposing the president while Democrats were supportive.
As resurfaced footage shows, Graham, who then served in the House of Representatives, was highly critical of members of Congress who had already made up their mind to not impeach Clinton, even before the evidence came to light. He urged his colleagues to consider the facts at the time.
"Some people have said, 'I won't vote for impeachment.' Some House members have said, 'I will not vote for an impeachment,'" the congressman said in November 1998. "Let me tell you, please don't say that until you understand what you're voting on."
He went on: "Members of the Senate have said, 'I understand everything there is about this case, and I won't vote to impeach the president.' Please allow the facts to do the talking. Nobody knows what the articles of impeachment are. People have made up their mind in a political fashion that will hurt this country long term."
He cautioned: "If you can't vote for impeachment, give us the due justice to the case. Don't decide the case before the case is in. And this bothers me greatly."
The remarks stand in stark contrast to Graham's position on the impeachment inquiry against Trump, just over two decades later. In fact, Graham has said he plans to do exactly what he urged lawmakers not to do in 1998.
"What's happening in the House is basically un-American," the senator told conservative Fox News host Sean Hannity last week. He said that he did not plan to watch the first public hearing of the impeachment inquiry "because I think it is a threat to the presidency. I don't want to legitimize it, it's un-American, it denies the basics of due process."
"I would like Republicans to say, 'This is a bunch of garbage,'" he asserted.
Graham previously described House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff's statement about the impeachment inquiry as "full of crap." He said he will not be reading the impeachment transcripts because he believes the "whole process" is "a bunch of B.S."
Graham voted with Republicans in the House to impeach Clinton in 1998. However, the Senate acquitted the president of the charges, because the required two-thirds majority did not vote to remove the president. That impeachment process was largely partisan, with Republicans opposing the president while Democrats were supportive.
Lindsey Graham OTD in 1998:— Windsor Mann (@WindsorMann) November 20, 2019
“Members of the Senate have said, ‘I understand everything there is about this case and I won’t vote to impeach the president.’ Please allow the facts to do the talking.” pic.twitter.com/UdEQytLyZZ
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