GRAHAM REJECTS CALLING OBAMA IN INVESTIGATION OF RUSSIA PROBE
WASHINGTON — Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham said Thursday his committee is opening a wideranging inquiry into the Russia investigation but rejected President Donald Trump’s call to bring in former President Barack Obama to testify.
“I am greatly concerned about the precedent that would be set by calling a former president for oversight,” said Graham, a South Carolina Republican and staunch Trump ally. “No president is above the law. However, the presidency has executive privilege claims against other branches of government.”
Graham noted the surprising nature of his announcement, saying: “To say we are living in unusual times is an understatement.”
The U.S. has a sitting president accusing the former president “of being part of a treasonous conspiracy to undermine his presidency,” Graham said. “We have the former president suggesting the current president is destroying the rule of law” by dismissing a case against Trump’s first national security adviser, Michael Flynn. “All of this is occurring during a major pandemic.”
The Judiciary Committee first will delve into the Justice Department’s decision to dismiss its prosecution of Flynn, as well as actions by the Obama administration to view Flynn’s name in intelligence reports, Graham said.
“We must determine if these requests were legitimate,” Graham said, referring to requests by top Obama administration officials to “unmask” Flynn’s name. The requests are common, including during the Trump administration.