Graham Avoids Engaging In Trump’s Bogus ‘Obamagate’ Conspiracy Theory

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) attends the State of the Union address in the chamber of the House of Representatives on February 4, 2020. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

Senate Judiciary Committee chair Lindsey Graham (R-SC), one of President Donald Trump’s most stalwart allies, poured cold water on the idea of pursuing Trump’s baseless conspiracy theory about former President Barack Obama on Monday.

Though Graham is currently probing Trump’s complaints that the FBI’s Russia investigation was aimed at sabotaging the President’s campaign, the GOP senator told Politico that his committee likely won’t get Obama involved.

“I’m not anticipating calling President Obama,” Graham said.

Fellow Judiciary Committee member Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) also wasn’t sold on the idea.

“I understand why the President feels like he’s under assault,” he told Politico. “But I think we need to do our own independent investigation.

Over the past 24 hours, Trump has been peddling an evidence-free “Obamagate” conspiracy theory that alleges his predecessor engineered the Russia probe in 2016, which got former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn indicted, to undermine the then-incoming Trump administration.

Trump also accused Obama of committing “the biggest political crime in American history” on Monday without providing any details or evidence. When Washington Post reporter Philip Rucker asked what exactly he was referring to, Trump offered little explanation, only that “some terrible things happened, and it should never be allowed to happen in our country again.”

“You know what the crime is. The crime is very obvious to everybody,” he told Rucker. “All you have to do is read the newspapers, except yours.”

Latest News
70
Show Comments

Notable Replies

  1. “I’m not anticipating calling President Obama,” Graham said.

    Fellow Judiciary Committee member Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) also wasn’t sold on the idea.

    “I understand why the President feels like he’s under assault,” he told Politico. “But I think we need to do our own independent investigation.

    So is this a toddler stepping away from the parent? Or will this be another “watch what they do, not what they say” type of maneuver?

  2. Avatar for jrw jrw says:

    Obamagate is so yesterday. We’ll be on to some new freak-out today.

  3. Avatar for spin spin says:

    Trump is melting down, and Lady Lindsey is not interested in being part of that meld down. This,and his going after Kemp for re-opening Georgia show that Lady Lindsey feels the hot breath of a real challenge for his seat on the back of his neck.

    Probably excites him, but he does not want to loose. Trying to hedge his bets.

  4. When you’ve lost Miz Graham in supporting your latest fever-drenched conspiracy…

    But Donnie will always have Yertle…

  5. Avatar for meri meri says:

    Not at all. It’s just Miz Linz wants to save all the stupidity for October.

    He hasn’t shut the fuck up out of a sense of SHAME, that’s for damned sure.

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

64 more replies

Participants

Avatar for zandru Avatar for jw1 Avatar for meri Avatar for mondfledermaus Avatar for theod Avatar for steviedee111 Avatar for rollinnolan Avatar for drriddle Avatar for alansnipes734 Avatar for danny Avatar for lastroth Avatar for pine Avatar for fiftygigs Avatar for tena Avatar for edhedh Avatar for Anarchy_Bunker Avatar for highway1 Avatar for spin Avatar for maximus Avatar for filmknight Avatar for ep_49 Avatar for LeeHarveyGriswold Avatar for AM_PM Avatar for mys_lys

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: