Graham's claim he wasn't interfering doesn't add up

[struggle4progress]

Opinion by Karen Tumulty
November 17, 2020 at 2:21 p.m. EST

... Why in the world was Graham, who is chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, nosing around in the ballot-counting process of a state he doesn’t even represent?

Raffensperger, it should be noted, is a conservative who says he has never voted for a Democrat. In his 2018 runoff election, Trump endorsed him in a tweet as someone who would be “a fantastic Secretary of State for Georgia” ...

... Raffensperger told Gardner that Graham was urging him to find a way to toss legally cast ballots, something the secretary of state does not have the power to do, absent court intervention, even if he were so inclined ...

... “I really just got off the call, and I said I would circle back” ... After speaking with his counsel, he decided “not to get back and re-engage” ...

No matter what your political leanings, this should be a cause for celebration that our democracy is sound and fair. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for some of those who are elected under that system.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/11/17/lindsey-graham-claim-wasnt-interfering-georgia-vote-doesnt-add-up/

[struggle4progress]

1. A microcosm of American politics in 2020

Opinion by Paul Waldman
November 17, 2020 at 11:33 a.m. EST

... Democrats hope that a changing, modernizing state can give them narrow victories, while Republicans use the levers of power they control to tilt the playing field while deploying lies and slander ...

... Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger is that rarest of creatures, a Republican with some modicum of integrity ...

... a week ago .. Sens. David Perdue (R-Ga.) and Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) attacked Raffensperger and demanded he resign, on the grounds that … well, they made no allegations at all, other than that he was guilty of “mismanagement and lack of transparency.” What he’d mismanaged or hidden, they neglected to specify. The obvious truth was that Raffensperger failed to engage in whatever voter suppression or outright cheating might have been necessary to allow them both to pass 50 percent in November’s election and thereby avoid a runoff ...

... Republicans moved heaven and earth to find Democratic voter fraud in this election, and came up empty ...

... the party that spent months warning about voter fraud is doing everything in their power to commit their own fraud — which was their plan all along ...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/11/17/fight-georgia-is-nearly-perfect-microcosm-american-politics-2020/

[liberal N proud]

2. Celebrating with caution

While the checks held up, we must speak up and stop those who continue to attack our democratic processes

[RDANGELO]

3. I swear, Trump has something on him. Graham is not that stupid. Trump put him up to it.

Nunes would be stupid enough to do that, but not Graham.

[Butterflylady]

17. I agree

He more than likely told Graham to do something or I'll let the cat out out of the bag.

[themaguffin]

21. Clearly, and even if some here don't want to admit, DC is aware of why the "Lady G" story came out

Let's be real.

[Trueblue Texan]

4. Never have I seen anyone, let alone a public official...

...as desperate as Lindsey Graham to cover up something. I've said it before and I'll say it now, when it all comes out, it will not only be something illegal, but will be shameful and disgusting. I am also extremely suspicious of the huge margin of his win in South Carolina, a race that was MUCH closer than the outcome suggests. Something is going on there.

[Trueblue Texan]

5. We need to win the Senate...

...if only to hold legitimate investigations and deliver appropriate consequences for what is uncovered.

[pawismom]

24. I so agree!

I'm a South Carolinian and donated repeatedly and followed Jamie's campaign closely. I truly had some hope that he could pull it off and all the polls supported this. The margin of loss just doesn't add up. If Lindsey was interfering in Georgia then what the heck did he do here. He debated, if you can call it that, as if he were high, didn't want to be there, thought it beneath him, already knew the fix was in, or all of the above. We know how bad voter suppression is here yet that cannot totally explain the discrepancies. I want Jamie to lawyer up and demand an investigation from someone outside of SC (don't know who) and rescind his concession until this is addressed. Could we have a special election, doubt it, but is it only the republicans that can sow chaos. Come on Jamie, let's go, jump on this and do something!

[Buckeyeblue]

6. Raffensperger's mistake is that he did not suppress enough votes

I think the campaign to register new voters caught him by surprise or at least exceeded what anyone thought could be achieved. His job was to remove enough "probabable" Democratic voters to ensure Georgia stayed red.

However he didn't do that. But Republicans are making a brazen mistake by calling him out on it by questioning the elections integrity. Because he can fight back against this. And is. They've cornered a rat and he's biting back.

I think Lindsey stepped in it by calling him. Lindsey may very well have put his political career on the line. And I think the House and DOJ should investigate what Lindsey's intent was.

The fact is Raffensperger had 1 job and he didn't do it correctly. Republicans should accept that they can't fix this. The run off will be what it becomes. But Republicans should deal with Raffensberger in private.

[Sherman A1]

9. I believe that he stated that Trumpy Bear shot himself in the foot

with his anti mail in ballot screed and would have won by a significant number had he just shut the hell up.

I am sure that the new voter registration caught him by surprise and happily it did what was needed. Hopefully a good turn out for the January election will carry the state further into the Democratic column.

[Buckeyeblue]

16. His shifting of the blame was CYA move

I'm glad the additional registrations overcame his suppression efforts and have given us a behind the scenes look at the way Republicans thought things were going to go down.

[Cha]

7. Graham's a Liar trying to save his

useless skin.

[Harker]

8. It'll take more than one official doing his job

to convince me that "our democracy is sound and fair."

A lot more.

[dlk]

10. Biden's DOJ needs to bring felony charges for interfering with an election

If not held accountable, Republicans will only increase their malfeasance. They’ve already crossed the line over and over. If we want to live in a country with the rule of law, we can’t let this pass. Barr, being a criminal himself, will do nothing.

[Dr. T]

11. I've figured it out, I've cracked the code.

Trump has electile dysfunction. It gets worse. He apparently transmitted it to the bulk of the Republic party. Lindsey tested positive.

[Bondor]

12. if there is to be no penalty...

...for bad faith efforts to steal the election, then we are resigning ourselves to the idea this is normal. Is there a legal mechanism to stomp on all the Repugs, from US senators to Trump lawyers down to the Michigan county supervisor, who are making preposterous claims in order to undermine democracy? Surely there must be, else democracy will fall.

[True Blue American]

13. First Graham said he also called

Nevada and Arizona. Wher the respective SOs said they had not talked to him Lindsey said he talked to the Governors.

Lindsey tried to cheat, got his testicles caught in the wringer.

My vocabulary is getting worse each day.

[C_U_L8R]

14. His mere presence is interference

He has no business being anywhere near any elections but his own. The whole thing stinks and the FBI should be investigating.

[NoRoadUntravelled]

15. It adds up just fine. Graham is a Trump sycophant doing exactly what he's supposed to do.

Trying to find logic or sanity in the actions of Trump sycophants is a pointless exercise.

[joanbarnes]

18. But how many Repuke SOS do just that and we keep wondering how Graham,

McConnell, et all keep winnning and how Missouri stays red....

[modrepub]

19. I Predict

nothing will happen. Maybe a letter of reprimand but I'm not holding my breath.

[Solly Mack]

20. Graham is a POS republican. Always has been. Always will be.

[NurseJackie]

23. That "Southern Gentleman" act he puts on is so phony.

He's not fooling anyone.

[NurseJackie]

22. There are MANY things about Lindsay Graham...

Graham's claim he wasn't interfering doesn't add up

There are MANY things about Lindsay Graham that don't "add up". He's been skating by and living his charmed life for a long time. I think his house-of-cards world will soon come crashing down around him.