#LeningradLindsey trends after Graham forces asylum bill through Senate committee

The hashtag “LeningradLindsey” trended on Twitter Thursday after Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) forced a controversial asylum bill through committee.

The Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday advanced a bill to overhaul U.S. asylum laws, waiving committee rules to force the bill through to the full Senate, where it likely won’t get the 60 votes it needs to pass.

But Graham’s move to push the bill through the panel outraged Democrats who say the South Carolina senator broke the rules on how lawmakers take up legislation in order to move a partisan bill along.{mosads}

Hundreds started using the hashtag invoking Leningrad — the Soviet-era name of the Russian city of St. Petersburg — slamming Graham for the move.

“#LeningradLindsey is breaking procedural code, lying to the American people, and has betrayed the principles this country was founded upon,” one person tweeted.

#LeningradLindsey is breaking procedural code, lying to the American people, and has betrayed the principles this country was founded upon.

— AmericanChoirBoy (@Choirboytwitch) August 1, 2019

“Resign, #LeningradLindsey,” another tweeted. 

Many used the hashtag in conjunction with #MoscowMitch, which has also been trending on social media since Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) last week blocked two election security bills, despite warnings from former special counsel Robert Mueller that Russian interference would likely occur in the 2020 election.

#MoscowMitch and #LeningradLindsey. Such fitting names.

— A Little Royal (@alittlebitroyal) August 1, 2019

#LeningradLindsey and #MoscowMitch helping along the #TraitorTrump policies. https://t.co/5BaAst6BGV

— dawne miller (@jigsmom) August 1, 2019

If you cared about our nation at all, #MoscowMitch, then you would pass an election security bill. Maybe get your pal #LeningradLindsey on board.

— Robert Scott Free (@RobertScott08) August 1, 2019