What the hell, Lindsey Graham?
Something has changed with Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina in recent months. Graham once was a critic of Donald J. Trump and spoke out in the past on issues that he did not like. But since he went on those golfing outings with Trump, his attitude, outlook and worldview have changed.
In a Bloomberg article on Thursday, Graham discussed his meeting with Trump. In the article, Graham disclosed that is “very likely” that Attorney General Jeff Sessions will be replaced. That information is no surprise.
What is surprising is how Graham, who has a law degree, just seems to think that there is no issue with Trump replacing Sessions, only with the timing. Graham stated: “The president’s entitled to an attorney general he has faith in, somebody that’s qualified for the job, and I think there will come a time, sooner rather than later, where it will be time to have a new face and a fresh voice at the Department of Justice. Clearly, Attorney General Sessions doesn’t have the confidence of the president.”
Again, there is nothing factually incorrect about the above statement. The president is entitled to select an Attorney General. The only challenge to the above would be in the unused word but one that appears to be there in spirit, the word “loyalty.” That is not part of the role or function of the Attorney General.
The same article quotes Trump’s comments about Sessions not being able to “control” his department. That is what is confounding and troubling about all of this. What Lindsey Graham is effectively saying in his comments is two things: 1) this has to wait, so we can sneak through Kavanaugh, nothing can get in the way of that, and 2) Trump can do whatever he wants with the investigations that are taking place against him, and I, Senator Lindsey Graham, along with my feckless GOP brethren and sisters, will do nothing to stop that clear attack on the rule of law and our representative democracy. It also raises some very serious questions that we hopefully will have answers to at some point in the near future, including what in the hell is being held over Graham so that he has become a Trump doormat.
Daniel is a lawyer writing and teaching about SCOTUS, and is the author of the book “The Chief Justices” about the SCOTUS as seen through the center seat.