Graham should focus on S.C. problems, not Georgia’s elections
Soon after his reelection to a fourth term as one of South Carolina’s U.S. senators, Lindsey Graham talked to election officials in at least three states, including Georgia, about how elections are run.
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a Republican, understood that Graham was suggesting Georgia officials find a way to reject legally cast ballots. Graham said that was ridiculous.
A complaint about Graham’s meddling has been filed with the Senate Ethics Committee. With Republicans controlling the Senate, and therefore all committees, one may wonder if there is any possibility the Ethics Committee could seriously challenge a Republican senator’s actions.
Georgia’s two senators, both Republicans, are in runoff elections. Should both Democratic challengers win, the new U.S. Senate will be split and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will have the deciding vote. That creates an easier beginning for President-elect Joe Biden’s administration and less power for Republican senators such as Graham.
BIPARTISANSHIP POSSIBLE?
A few Republican senators might muster the courage to be bipartisan if Republicans continue to hold a majority of one or two. That has happened, and Graham himself on occasion was more bipartisan before President Donald Trump.
Historically, presidents have worked with senate majority leaders of the other political party for the benefit of the nation. Lyndon Johnson and Everett Dirksen of Illinois are a notable example. Johnson had been a Democratic majority leader. Biden was a senator for years and has the temperament to work with Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. The big question is, would McConnell do likewise.
Graham and McConnell line up with most nationally oriented elected Republicans who continue to support, or not speak against, Trump’s outrageous attacks on the election process – in states Trump did not win. Trump and Graham comfortably carried South Carolina, so Gov. Henry McMaster has been spared the blasts of baloney Trump has fired at Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp.
STATES RUN ELECTIONS
South Carolina elections are run by an independent commission, so the governor or secretary of state has little to do with elections. Like a majority of states, Georgia’s election process is under the secretary of state.
In state after state, Republican officials such as Raffensperger have defended the state’s election processes. In state after state, Republican governors and other officials have followed the law and certified the results of Nov. 3. Court after court has rejected lawsuits by Trump lawyers.
“There are those who are exploiting the emotions of many Trump supporters with fantastic claims, half-truths, misinformation and, frankly, they’re misleading the president as well, apparently,” Raffensperger told The Associated Press
DEATH THREATS ARE NO JOKE
Georgia’s and other state’s elections officials have faced death threats. Trump campaign lawyer Joseph diGenova said Christopher Krebs, the federal cybersecurity official fired by Trump, should be “taken out at dawn and shot.” The White House did say that was inappropriate and diGenova said it should be apparent he was joking.
Trump’s baseless allegations about a rigged election goes far beyond bad behavior. Tens of millions of Americans to some degree accept misinformation and outright lies as fact.
In his meddling, Graham is suggesting states don’t manage elections fairly. Graham’s support of Trump’s baseless rigged election claims is shameless partisan politics. Yes, Graham and other Republicans have an interest in Georgia’s senatorial elections.
It’s highly doubtful that the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee has any need to know details about signature verification or tabulation of ballots. These are details clearly up to individual states.
Graham has no business in any part of Georgia’s presidential and senatorial elections. Or in any state’s election processes. He should focus on S.C. problems, including recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.