Sen. Lindsey GrahamLindsey Olin GrahamHillicon Valley: Biden calls on Facebook to change political speech rules | Dems demand hearings after Georgia election chaos | Microsoft stops selling facial recognition tech to police OVERNIGHT DEFENSE: Joint Chiefs chairman says he regrets participating in Trump photo-op | GOP senators back Joint Chiefs chairman who voiced regret over Trump photo-op | Senate panel approves 0B defense policy bill GOP senators back Joint Chiefs chairman who voiced regret over Trump photo-op MORE (R-S.C.) jokingly told a crowd Monday evening that President TrumpDonald John TrumpSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote Warren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases Esper orders ‘After Action Review’ of National Guard’s role in protests MORE mentioned Robert MuellerRobert (Bob) MuellerCNN’s Toobin warns McCabe is in ‘perilous condition’ with emboldened Trump CNN anchor rips Trump over Stone while evoking Clinton-Lynch tarmac meeting The Hill’s 12:30 Report: New Hampshire fallout MORE’s probe “about 20 times” while they played golf over the weekend.
Graham said he urged the president not to preemptively end the special counsel investigation into Russia’s 2016 election meddling for fear that it could hurt Republicans chances in the midterm elections.
“I want to win in November. If we stop the Mueller probe tomorrow, you wouldn’t be able to talk about anything else,” Graham said, as first reported by Roll Call. “I told the president this: I promise you, you’ll be treated fairly. I promise you that the people who put the [Hillary] Clinton investigation in the tank, they’re going to have their day, too.”
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While Graham said he agrees with the president that there is no evidence his campaign team colluded with Russia, he has said before he does not share Trump’s opinion that the Mueller investigation is a witch hunt.
“He is following the evidence where it takes him, and I think it’s very important that he be allowed to do his job without interference, and there are many Republicans who share my view,” Graham told CNN’s Jake Tapper in March.
The comments come amid increased scrutiny of a 2016 meeting in Trump Tower between Trump campaign officials — including the president’s son, Donald Trump Jr.Don John TrumpTrump Jr. calls elderly supporter who was assaulted Trump Jr. hits Howard Stern for going ‘establishment,’ ‘acting like Hillary’ Trump Jr., GOP senator lash out at Facebook for taking down protest pages on stay-at-home orders MORE, son-in-law Jared KushnerJared Corey KushnerTim Scott to introduce GOP police reform bill next week GOP votes to give Graham broad subpoena power in Obama-era probe House GOP delays police reform bill MORE and campaign manager Paul ManafortPaul John ManafortGOP votes to give Graham broad subpoena power in Obama-era probe Will the ‘law and order’ president pardon Roger Stone? Trump taps Lewandowski, Bossie for Commission on Presidential Scholars MORE — and a Russian lawyer with Kremlin ties.
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While Trump and his campaign initially claimed the meeting was to discuss adoption policies between the U.S. and Russia, the president finally admitted Sunday it was to gain information on Hillary ClintonHillary Diane Rodham ClintonWhite House accuses Biden of pushing ‘conspiracy theories’ with Trump election claim Biden courts younger voters — who have been a weakness Trayvon Martin’s mother Sybrina Fulton qualifies to run for county commissioner in Florida MORE, Trump’s 2016 opponent.
“Fake News reporting, a complete fabrication, that I am concerned about the meeting my wonderful son, Donald, had in Trump Tower. This was a meeting to get information on an opponent, totally legal and done all the time in politics – and it went nowhere. I did not know about it!” he said.
Graham said this week that, given Senate rules, “there’s a good chance” he’ll be chairman of the Judiciary Committee in the next Congress, and, if he is, Trump can expect further investigation into the FBI’s handling of its 2016 probe into Clinton’s private email server, as well as the surveillance warrant that Trump defenders say served at the basis of the Russia probe.
“So, I’m going to let Mueller do his job and we’ll see what he finds, but Mueller’s not in charge of looking at the [Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act] FISA warrant application, he’s not in charge of overseeing the FBI. What they did during the 2016 election on behalf of Clinton appalls me,” he said.