WASHINGTON ¨C Republican Sen. Lindsay Graham, a close ally of Donald Trump, called for more sanctions on Russia and criticized presidential adviser Jared Kushner¡¯s statements downplaying the significance of that country¡¯s interference in the 2016 election.
¡°I like Jared a lot, but he¡¯s leaving out a big detail,¡± Graham said on the CBS show ¡°Face the Nation,¡± noting that Russia hacked into the emails of Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton¡¯s campaign. ¡°Can you imagine what we would be saying if the Russians or the Iranians hacked into the presidential team of the Republican Party?¡±
Kushner, who is Trump¡¯s son-in-law, characterized the Russians¡¯ actions at an April 23 event as trying to ¡°buy some Facebook ads to sow discontent.¡± He said that the investigations that followed had ¡°had a much harsher impact¡± on U.S democracy.
¡°No, this is a big deal. It¡¯s not just a few Facebook ads,¡± Graham said on CBS. ¡°An attack on one party should be an attack on all.¡±
Trump previously has questioned the extent of Russia¡¯s role in election interference, and Graham said he has told Trump that ¡°everything we¡¯ve done with the Russians is not working¡± because ¡°the Russians are up to it again.¡±
¡°We need more sanctions, not less,¡± Graham said. ¡°Because clearly they don¡¯t have the message.¡±
Graham defended Trump¡¯s actions in the Russia investigation. Special counsel Robert Mueller¡¯s report, released in redacted form this month, described 10 instances of possible obstruction of justice by the president but didn¡¯t provide a conclusion.
¡°What President Trump did here was completely cooperate in an investigation,¡± Graham said. ¡°I believe the president did nothing wrong. Whether you like him or not, I¡¯ll leave up to you.¡±
Graham also disagreed with Trump¡¯s suggestion in comments to reporters on April 26 that former Vice President Joe Biden, who announced his candidacy for president a day earlier, might be too old at 76 to win.
¡°If you travel with Joe Biden, you won¡¯t think he¡¯s too old,¡± Graham said, adding that he doesn¡¯t know whether Biden fits the preferences of the current Democratic Party.
Still, Graham said of his former Senate colleague, ¡°He¡¯s a good man and he would be a strong candidate.¡±
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