Nadler plays 1999 clip of Graham defining high crimes: ‘It doesn’t even have to be a crime’

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) took a jab at his congressional counterpart Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) during the Senate impeachment trial Wednesday.

During his turn on the floor, Nadler, one of the House managers, played a 1999 clip of Graham calling for the impeachment of then-President Clinton.

“What’s a high crime? How about if an important person hurts somebody of low means,” Graham said at the time.

“It’s not very scholarly, but I think it’s the truth,” Graham continued. “I think that’s what [the framers of the Constitution] meant by high crimes. It doesn’t even have to be a crime. It’s just when you start using your office and you’re acting in a way that hurts people, you’ve committed a high crime.”

oh. my. New clip of @LindseyGrahamSC saying of course you don’t need a crime for impeachment.

— Jennifer Rubin (@JRubinBlogger) January 23, 2020

One of the main arguments that GOP lawmakers have lobbed against House Democrats’ case for impeachment is that the two articles of impeachment against President Trump that were passed by the House — abuse of power and obstruction of Congress — don’t actually outline a prosecutable crime.

Democrats, in turn, have tirelessly argued that Trump committed a high crime by using his office to leverage Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for a personal political favor.

Reportedly, Graham, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, was not in his seat while Nadler played the clip of him.

Graham left the Senate floor minutes before Nadler started playing the video of him. Barrasso, who sits next to Graham, patted his empty chair as the video began to play

— Catie Edmondson (@CatieEdmondson) January 23, 2020