Senate

Graham wants to probe Obama-era controversies

by Jordain Carney - 03/25/19 12:14 PM ET

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said Monday that he wants to probe a myriad of Obama-era scandals, including the handling of the Hillary Clinton email investigation, now that special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe is complete.

Graham also said the Senate Judiciary Committee should look into a controversial opposition research dossier on President Trump.

“When it comes to the [Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act] FISA warrant, the Clinton campaign, the counterintelligence investigation, it’s pretty much been swept under the rug. … Those days are over,” Graham told reporters during a press conference.

{mosads}He added that the FBI’s handling of the probe into Clinton’s use of a private email server while secretary of State was “bizarre at best [and] troubling to its core from my point of view.”

Graham’s comments indicate that Senate Republicans are ready to move on from the years-long probe into the Trump campaign and Russia’s election interference after Mueller handed over his report to the Justice Department on Friday.

Graham, who is up for reelection next year, said he wants Attorney General William Barr to testify before the Judiciary Committee but indicated that his focus as chairman will be to dig into the handling of Clinton’s emails, the Carter Page FISA warrant application and the origin of the controversial opposition research dossier compiled against then-candidate Trump by Christopher Steele, a former British agent.

Graham also raised a controversial meeting between then-Attorney General Loretta Lynch and former President Clinton in 2016 that sparked outrage and accusations of coordination amid the Justice Department’s probe into Hillary Clinton’s email server.

“I believe there was more there and I intend to get to there,” Graham said.

In addition to using the Judiciary Committee to probe the issues, Graham said he intends to ask Barr to appoint a special counsel to look into the same areas.

“What I want to do is see if he’ll appoint a special counsel,” Graham said. “I’d like to find somebody like a Mr. Mueller.”

Tags Donald Trump Hillary Clinton Lindsey Graham Robert Mueller