Senator Lindsey Graham's Attempt to Hold Up Government Funding Over Controversial 'Slush Fund' Falls Short
In a dramatic turn of events, Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) appeared to back down from his demand for a provision that would allow senators targeted by former special counsel Jack Smith to receive millions in compensation from the Justice Department. However, Graham vowed to hold up a vote on the appropriations bill until the measure is included.
Graham's original proposal was sparked by the seizure of his phone records, as well as those of eight other Republican senators, during the January 6 investigation into the US Capitol riot. The senator claimed that he wanted to "criminalize" the targeting of lawmakers, but ultimately had to drop his demand for a $500,000 payout for each affected senator after it was removed from the package by the House.
Despite this setback, Graham refused to let go of his objection to the bill, citing concerns over "accountability." In a press conference on Friday, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) labeled Graham's persistence as a "temper tantrum," suggesting that he would have to drop his demand in order to avoid a government shutdown.
Graham took aim at Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, accusing him of "jamming" him and failing to consult with him on the matter. The senator vowed to hold up the vote until he secured a guarantee for passage of his proposed legislation, which would criminalize state and local officials who defy federal law.
As the government shutdown looms over sanctuary city crackdowns and other contentious issues, Graham's refusal to back down raises questions about his ability to work with Democrats and pass meaningful legislation. With the Senate reconvening on Friday morning to address the looming deadline, it remains to be seen whether Graham will ultimately succeed in his bid to secure a provision that would give him financial compensation for his phone records seizure.
In a separate development, Senate Democrats and the White House agreed late Thursday to strip funding for the Department of Homeland Security from the package, replacing it with a two-week stopgap measure. The U.S. House of Representatives had previously voted to remove Graham's Arctic Frost provision from the package, which would have allowed senators to sue the Justice Department over seized phone records.
As the standoff between Graham and Democrats continues, one thing is clear: only time will tell if the senator's demands are met, or if he ultimately fails to achieve his goals.
In a dramatic turn of events, Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) appeared to back down from his demand for a provision that would allow senators targeted by former special counsel Jack Smith to receive millions in compensation from the Justice Department. However, Graham vowed to hold up a vote on the appropriations bill until the measure is included.
Graham's original proposal was sparked by the seizure of his phone records, as well as those of eight other Republican senators, during the January 6 investigation into the US Capitol riot. The senator claimed that he wanted to "criminalize" the targeting of lawmakers, but ultimately had to drop his demand for a $500,000 payout for each affected senator after it was removed from the package by the House.
Despite this setback, Graham refused to let go of his objection to the bill, citing concerns over "accountability." In a press conference on Friday, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) labeled Graham's persistence as a "temper tantrum," suggesting that he would have to drop his demand in order to avoid a government shutdown.
Graham took aim at Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, accusing him of "jamming" him and failing to consult with him on the matter. The senator vowed to hold up the vote until he secured a guarantee for passage of his proposed legislation, which would criminalize state and local officials who defy federal law.
As the government shutdown looms over sanctuary city crackdowns and other contentious issues, Graham's refusal to back down raises questions about his ability to work with Democrats and pass meaningful legislation. With the Senate reconvening on Friday morning to address the looming deadline, it remains to be seen whether Graham will ultimately succeed in his bid to secure a provision that would give him financial compensation for his phone records seizure.
In a separate development, Senate Democrats and the White House agreed late Thursday to strip funding for the Department of Homeland Security from the package, replacing it with a two-week stopgap measure. The U.S. House of Representatives had previously voted to remove Graham's Arctic Frost provision from the package, which would have allowed senators to sue the Justice Department over seized phone records.
As the standoff between Graham and Democrats continues, one thing is clear: only time will tell if the senator's demands are met, or if he ultimately fails to achieve his goals.
This whole thing just smells like a classic case of someone trying to get attention and use it for their own agenda 
. Lindsey Graham's tantrum about not getting his "Slush Fund" provision is just ridiculous. Newsflash, senator: if you didn't want your phone records seized in the first place, why are you so upset now? 
It's like he thinks the government owes him a payout because they can't make an exception for him 
.
. He just can't seem to stop talking about how he's being targeted and victimized 
. Meanwhile, Democrats are just trying to get their act together and pass some real legislation 
.
. Sanctuary cities, climate change, and actual policy changes... nobody cares about Lindsey Graham's phone records 
. Maybe it's time for him to focus on something that actually matters to the American people 
i feel so bad 4 him tho, like, who wouldn't wanna get paid back after they got their privacies invaded? 
anyway, Lindsey Graham thinks he's a hero by standin' up for himself over his phone records 
newsflash, buddy: if you didn't do nothin' wrong, why are you so upset? 
gotta love how he's threatenin' a government shutdown over some stupid phone records 
meanwhile, the real issue is sanctuary cities and other important stuff gettin' left on the backburner 
guess we'll just have to wait and see if Graham finally gets his act together or not 
. Lindsey Graham is holding up the government funding bill over a slush fund and now he's trying to get some cash for being targeted by the Justice Department? Give me a break! 
What's next, demanding a payout for being awake at night thinking about important senator stuff? 
it's like he thinks the system is rigged against him or something 
. This government shutdown nonsense is gonna hurt real people who need their services and funding for the Arctic Frost provision being stripped is a total cop-out. It's time for Lindsey to grow up and work with everyone else instead of trying to be the office diva 
.
. like, come on man, you're holding up an entire government bill over some phone records? newsflash, you're not the only senator with that problem 
. And by the way, who's really behind all this drama... hmm, maybe someone wants to stir up some controversy before the next election? 