Lindsey Graham insists he’s not ‘inconsistent’ for backing Trump as he’s dismissed as ‘a spineless coward’
Senator Lindsey Graham defended himself after a former CIA head called him a "spineless coward" for refusing to condemn Donald Trump’s alleged mishandling of classified documents. Mr Graham said his opposition to Mr Trump's second indictment related to the documents and his beliefs that sensitive materials must be handled properly are not contradictory. "I'm very concerned about mishandling classified information," he told The Independent. "I'm also very concerned about ... equal treatment under the law. Those two things are not inconsistent." His comments come after former CIA director John Brennan called him a "spineless coward" for defending the former president. “That is why I find it so, so disheartening and It makes me angry when I hear people like Lindsey Graham make excuses and apologies for Donald Trump," Mr Brennan said during an appearance on MSNBC. “Those are the words of a spineless coward, quite frankly, who is frightened by Donald Trump and is frightened by those individuals who still cling to an image of Donald Trump as being this very strong leader, which he is not.” Mr Graham defended Mr Trump during an ABC News interview on Sunday, arguing his second indictment would make him "stronger" in his re-election campaign. The senator insisted that Mr Trump's investigation is no different than the Hillary Clinton email scandal — despite their being notable difference between those situations — and argued that the former president had been "overcharged" through the use of the Espionage Act. "Did he do things wrong? Yes, he may have. He will be tried about that. But Hillary Clinton wasn't," he told ABC News's George Stephanopoulos. When Stephanopoulos pressed Mr Graham on the audio recordings of Mr Trump discussing the secret information and admitting he had not declassified it when he was in office, Mr Graham claimed ignorance. "I don't know what happened; I haven't heard the audio," Mr Graham said. "But look at who's been charged under the Espionage Act: Julian Assange, Edward Snowden, Chelsea Manning -- people who turned over classified information to news organizations ... or provide it to a foreign power. That did not happen here." Each time Mr Graham was confronted with the evidence against Mr Trump, he deflected to Ms Clinton, prompting Stephanopoulos to tell him that she had been fully investigated and that no charges were brought against her. Mr Graham dismissed that explanation saying "yeah right" and "give me a break." No evidence was found that Ms Clinton intended to "communicate classified information on unclassified systems," according to the investigation's findings. That report also noted that Ms Clinton's emails were not marked in a way that would inform her of their classification status. The evidence against Mr Trump includes the previously stated audio recording, but also allegations that he worked to conceal the records from federal authorities after they asked for their return. Both Joe Biden and former Vice President Mike Pence were also found to have sensitive documents in their personal possession, but they cooperated with authorities to return those documents — a key difference between their situations and Mr Trump's. With reporting from Eric Garcia Read More What time is Trump’s arraignment and will it be live-streamed? Donald Trump arrives at federal court to face 37-count indictment in Mar-a-Lago documents case Trump will not be handcuffed or asked to pose for mugshot at Miami arraignment Ivanka and Jared split over attending Trump 2024 launch – follow live Why was Donald Trump impeached twice during his first term? Four big lies Trump told during his 2024 presidential announcement
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WNBA schedule: 3 must-see matchups this week
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Johanne Defay on representing her country of France at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games
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France’s Mistral AI Raises $113 Million in Big EU Startup Debut
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John Amos, 'Good Times' star, speaks out against reports he is in ICU
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MLB Rumors: Red Sox trade attempt, Phillies in trouble, Yadi managing?
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Alexis Mac Allister on how Jurgen Klopp convinced him to sign for Liverpool
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NJ’s Murphy Urges Federal Officials to Reconsider NYC Toll Plan
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TikToker cooks rack of ribs in hotel bathroom using only items from his room
A TikTok influencer managed to cook a rack of baby back ribs in his hotel bathroom using only items found in his room. User @barfly7777 showed off the ingredients he bought - including char siu rub - before getting to work. He was seen putting the ribs in his makeshift oven - a pillow case - before heating it with a hairdryer. After tying the pillowcase closed, the “chef” suggests roasting the ribs for four hours, before adding honey glaze and cooking for a further three hours. He then shows off the finished meal - complete with corn and a jacket potato - after checking the temperature of the meat. Read More Schoolboy almost dies from swallowing magnets for TikTok challenge Woman shares honest review of New York City apartment TikTok mom slammed after making 5-year-old son run in 104 degree heat
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NBA Draft 2023: 3 perfect picks for the Los Angeles Lakers at No. 17
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AMD Gives Peek at Upcoming Line of AI Processors in Challenge to Rival Nvidia
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U.S. House breaks legislative logjam, advances Republican bills
By David Morgan WASHINGTON The Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives voted on Tuesday to allow debate on five
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