US Senator Lindsey Graham speaks during a news conference at the US Capitol on August 5, 2022 in Washington, DC.
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US Senator Lindsey Graham on Saturday defended the proposal that there would be “riots in the streets” if former President Donald Trump was indicted for mishandling classified information, saying he condemned the violence seen in the incident. riots on the Capitol last year.
“What I try to do is make that clear,” Graham, a South Carolina Republican and a close Trump ally, told CNBC’s Steve Sedgwick at the Ambrosetti Forum in Italy.
“This is what I said, The raid on [former] The home of President Trump, the candidate likely to be nominated in 2024, better deliver some fruit here,” he added. If it’s just about mishandling classified information, we already have a set standard when it comes to Hillary Clinton. “
“Our country, who are on our side, believe that when it comes to the justice system, there are no rules regarding Trump, [it’s a case of] “Get him, it doesn’t matter how you get him”, so I said that if it was similar to what happened to Clinton and he was prosecuted, that would be one of the the most disruptive event in America,” Graham said.
Trump and his allies have argued that the FBI, which is investigating Trump for potential violations of the law relating to espionage and obstruction of justice, is treating him differently than it treats Hillary Clinton, who was the subject of an FBI investigation into the use of a private email server while secretary of state, but was not prosecuted. Critics of Trump argue that the two cases are not comparable.
Graham said he denied the violence seen in the riots on the Capitol on January 6 and said “everyone who defiled the Capitol should go to jail” but said any unjust behavior For Trump, there will be consequences.
“I don’t want to pardon the January 6 people because that seems to reinforce the narrative that this is okay. I said something that I really believe – if he did what she did. with classified information and he gets prosecuted and she doesn’t. will create a problem.”
Last week, Graham said there would be “riots in the streets” if Trump were indicted for mishandling classified information.
“I will say this, if there is an indictment of Donald Trump for mishandling classified information, after Clinton fails… there will be riots in the streets,” Graham told Trey Gowdy, a former Republican congressman of the United States. Fox News.
Trump ‘is a successful president’
Trump is currently under investigation and at risk of prosecution for his handling of classified White House files that he transferred to his Mar-a-Lago, Florida residence.
Last week, the release of a repeatedly redacted affidavit revealing concerns about illegal activity and obstruction of justice led to an FBI search of Trump’s resort in July as how.
Graham acknowledges that he believes in “responsible handling of classified information” but again emphasizes that “mishandling of classified information is really bad but we can’t have a system where one is prosecuted and the other is not.”
When asked if Trump is the best person to represent the Republican Party in 2024, Graham said “I think he might be.”
“Whether you like Trump or not he’s a current president… I think a strong, unpredictable American president is a good thing as long as you keep it within the boundaries. His issue is personal, his policies have stood the test of time but has he worn the American people out of his character?Time will tell.But I will say something. hey, after Biden’s presidency, if there’s a policy debate in 2024, I like his chances. If it’s a contest of character, he’s in trouble.”
Graham said he talks to Trump “all the time” and that the former president still thinks he’s been “tricked”. Graham said he voted to certify the 2020 election and Biden as the legitimate president.
Trump “really believes that the system has been rigged against him, and I said, ‘Mr. President, I’m not trying to tell you to change your beliefs. I’m trying to tell you that you no chance of winning in 2020 but friend Graham said, there is a pretty good chance to win in 2024 if you want to.”
Terms of Debate and Speech
A federal judge on Thursday rejected Graham’s latest attempt to challenge the subpoena for his testimony before a special grand jury in Georgia, which is investigating possible criminal election interference by trumpet and his allies in 2020.
However, the judge limited the scope of the subpoena by ordering that Graham not be questioned about phone calls he made to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and his staff in the weeks following. November 2020 election between Trump and President Joe Biden.
It continued Graham’s bids to avoid having to testify on the grounds that his position as a lawmaker entitles him to immunity under the “speech or argument” clause. of the United States Constitution.
Graham reiterated his point on Saturday, saying, “I’m not starting this debate. You have a national prosecutor who has decided to investigate a national election and calls for any who and everyone is involved in their role in the election I am a U.S. Senator, in our Constitution we have a provision that exempts us from arguing or speaking can’t be taken to court across the country every time we do something that someone doesn’t like.”
“I think the court will recognize that my activities as a U.S. Senator were covered by the statement and argument clause that the district attorney’s desire to bring me down to Georgia is in accordance with the Constitution. France.”
