SC’s Graham repudiates Trump’s fraud claims, efforts to overturn election
U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham said President Donald Trump and his allies must stop pushing claims that widespread voter fraud stole the election for President-elect Joe Biden.
In a press conference Thursday in Washington, D.C. — a day after a pro-Trump mob clashed with Capitol police and broke into the Capitol building, forcing lawmakers into a lockdown — Graham delivered a strong repudiation of Trump’s voter fraud claims.
On Thursday, Graham said, “The people on the campaign legal team have made accusations without sufficient proof. They have been more the problem than the solution. They have claimed that 66,000 people in Georgia voted under 18. Have not found one person. They have claimed that 8,000 felons voted from prison in Arizona. I’ve asked for a list of names and received none.
“This needs to end,” he said.
Graham himself aided Trump’s efforts to investigate fraud claims in key states where Trump lost. The powerful Senate Judiciary chairman called for an investigation into claims Trump’s campaign made about fraud in Pennsylvania, quickly recanted by the accuser, and he also called a top elections official in Georgia, who said he felt Graham pressured him to toss some ballots, a claim Graham vehemently denied.
On Thursday, Graham expressed confidence in the review of the Nov. 3 election.
“A blind eye was not turned,” he said, adding that the outcome was “disappointing to those of us who supported the president, but it was done through the lawful process” of the courts and state reviews.
“Not one judge anywhere in the land accepted the accusations to be legitimate and not one legislative body in the states in question decided to change the certification after hearing the accusations,” he said.
Graham also criticized claims that Vice President Mike Pence had the sole authority to hand the election to Trump, by rejecting ballots from states.
“The Congress’ job is not to overturn elections that we disagree with,” he said, adding, “The things said about him, the things he was asked to do in the name of loyalty were over the top, unconstitutional, illegal and would have been wrong for the country.”
Graham said Pence fulfilled his duty.
“This idea of asking the vice president to use his powers to send back electors that were certified doesn’t exist in the Constitution.”
“I want every Republican to know that in my view limited government applies when you don’t like the outcome just as much as when ... you do like the outcome.”
He added: “The Constitution does not allow you to get your way.”
Asked whether he would pursue a path that could disqualify Trump from running again, Graham said he’s “not worried about the next election.”
“I’m worried about getting through the next 14 days.”
Graham said the Republican Party must “get away from the fiery rhetoric and ... conspiracy theories” to rebuild itself.