House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) dug up old footage of Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) revealing Graham’s then views of high crimes during former President Bill Clinton’s impeachment trial.
The video clip from 1999 was shown during Thursday’s Senate impeachment trial by Nadler — who is one of the Democratic impeachment managers making the case against President Donald Trump.
In the clip, then-House manager Graham declares that high crimes don’t “even have to be a crime.”
“What’s a high crime? How about an important person hurt somebody of low means. That’s not very scholarly, but I think it’s the truth,” Graham says.
The Republican senator continued, “I think that’s what they meant by ‘high crimes.’ 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 have committed a high crime.”
See the 1999 clip of Graham’s comments below:
According to reporters, Graham had left the room just minutes before Nadler played the old footage of him.
As for the impeachment articles against Trump, Republican lawmakers have argued the president isn’t being accused of an actual crime.
The clip was shown on the second day of arguments made by the House impeachment managers. They will continue their final day of arguments on Friday.
On the Senate floor Thursday, Nadler also stated in his conclusion, “The Constitution is not a suicide pact. It does not leave us stuck with presidents who abuse their power in unforeseen ways that threaten our security and democracy.”
He added, “Until recently, it did not occur to me that our president would call a foreign leader and demand a sham investigation meant to kneecap his political opponents, all in exchange for releasing vital military aid that the president was already required by law to provide.”