Lindsey Graham, 41 Senate Republicans Condemn Democrats’ Closed-Door Impeachment Inquiry

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) introduced a resolution Thursday to condemn House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) and Democrats’ secretive impeachment inquiry.

Sen. Graham, with Senate Majority Leader McConnell (R-KY), introduced the Graham-McConnell resolution to condemn the Democrats’ secret impeachment proceedings. The bill also calls for Democrats to begin a formal impeachment inquiry.

Graham said in a statement Thursday:

Every American should be disturbed by what is taking place in the House of Representatives regarding the attempt to impeach President Trump. One of the cornerstones of American jurisprudence is due process – the right to confront your accuser, call witnesses on your behalf, and challenge the accusations against you. None of this is occurring in the House.

The Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman noted during a press conference Thursday that the Democrats’ current impeachment proceedings serve as a “substantial deviation” from previous impeachments, including that of former President Bill Clinton. When Democrats were in the minority during the Clinton impeachment proceedings, they could subpoena witnesses and documents on behalf of Clinton. Clinton’s witnesses could also examine witnesses, subpoena documents, introduce and object to evidence, and defend the president.

Graham said that the Democrats’ current impeachment proceedings “are unfair and dangerous.”

Roughly two dozen House Republicans attempted to storm the secret basement room on Wednesday where House Intelligence Committee Chairman Schiff has been running his closed-door impeachment inquiry.

Sen. Graham and McConnell’s resolution follows as House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Biggs (R-AZ) led a floor vote Monday to condemn House Intelligence Committee Chairman Schiff (D-CA) for deliberately fabricating a conversation between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Nearly the entire House Republican conference backed the resolution.

The Graham-McConnell resolution would allow President Trump the ability to confront his accusers, call witnesses on his behalf, have a basic understanding of the accusations against him, allow for House Republicans to participate in all proceedings, and give them an equal amount of authority to issue subpoenas.

Forty-one Senate Republicans have cosponsored the resolution. Graham said that “41 senators and growing is a strong way to show that” Republicans are fighting back.

The forty-one Republican senators backing the legislation include: Sens. Graham, McConnell, Chuck Grassley (R-IA), John Thune (R-SD), Roy Blunt (R-MO), James Inhofe (R-OK), Mike Crapoe (R-ID), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Jim Risch (R-ID), John Boozman (R-AR), Rand Paul (R-KY), Mike Lee (R-UT), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Tim Scott (R-SC), Debbie Fischer (R-NE), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), James Lankford (R-OK), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Steve Daines (R-MT), David Perdue (R-GA), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Todd Young (R-IN), John Kennedy (R-LA), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Mike Braun (R-IN), Josh Hawley (R-MO), and Rick Scott (R-FL).

Given that 41 Senate Republicans back the resolution, 12 Senate GOP lawmakers have yet to back the resolution to condemn the House Democrats’ impeachment proceedings.

Read the Graham-McConnell resolution here.