Sen. Lindsey Graham is throwing down the gauntlet, demanding justice for Americans caught in what he sees as a government overreach by former special counsel Jack Smith.
According to Just the News, Graham, the Senate Budget Committee chairman, is crafting legislation to allow any American—not just lawmakers—whose privacy was breached during Smith’s probe into conservative groups to sue the government for damages.
This fight kicked off with a provision slipped into last week’s spending bill, which reopened the federal government, granting eight senators the right to seek damages after their phone records were subpoenaed by Smith.
While some might think this is just Senate drama, Graham insists it’s about principle, arguing the provision shouldn’t be axed but expanded to cover every citizen affected by Smith’s investigation.
House Speaker Mike Johnson and fellow House Republicans, however, aren’t buying it, threatening to strip the measure from the bill over concerns about retroactive penalties for past actions.
Johnson’s frustration is palpable, with whispers of anger over the provision’s sneaky inclusion, but Graham isn’t backing down, planning to roll out his broader legislation in the coming days, potentially with House allies.
“We should expand accountability, not shrink it,” Graham declared on the John Solomon Reports podcast, pushing back against critics who balk at suing the government.
Let’s unpack that: if the government can snoop into your life without consequence, what’s stopping them from doing it again? Graham’s point hits hard—accountability isn’t a privilege, it’s a right.
“If you want to live in a country where you can't sue the government when you're wronged, be my guest. You better move from America,” Graham added, doubling down with a jab at those cozy with unchecked power.
Graham’s ire isn’t just aimed at the Justice Department; he’s also targeting U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, who issued an order allowing Smith to bypass notifying the Senate about seizing phone records.
The senator called out the judge’s reasoning—that senators might destroy evidence—as baseless, pointing out that phone companies, not lawmakers, hold the data.
Not one to let a perceived injustice slide, Graham is mulling punishment for Boasberg, labeling the order an abuse of privilege, while vowing to personally sue both the phone company and the Biden administration’s Justice Department team tied to Smith.
Senate Democrat Leader Chuck Schumer, surprisingly, backed the spending bill’s provision, showing rare bipartisan alignment, though the House remains a battleground for this issue.
Graham’s ultimate goal is clear: extend the ability to seek damages to any conservative individual or group improperly targeted, ensuring the government thinks twice before trampling on privacy under the guise of investigation.