Sen. Lindsey Graham hinted at a major development related to inquiries into the Russia investigation on Thursday.
The Senate Judiciary Committee chairman appeared on Fox News to discuss with host Sean Hannity newly disclosed documents that show that dozens of phones belonging to members of special counsel Robert Mueller’s team had been “wiped” for a variety of reasons.
“You think you are mad about the phones being wiped? Stay tuned. We’ll talk in about 10 or 12 days, and we’ll see if there is something else you can get mad about. Just stay tuned,” the South Carolina Republican said.
He did not elaborate, which left Hannity to say, “I hate when you are basically telling me you know something I don’t know. I hate that.” Graham chuckled.
It is possible he was referring to U.S. Attorney John Durham’s criminal inquiry into the conduct of intelligence and law enforcement officials during the Russia investigation. Justice Department officials, including Attorney General William Barr, have indicated in the past that they expected “developments” by the end of the summer.
Graham said he would be “shocked” if former FBI lawyer Kevin Clinesmith, who last month pleaded guilty to a false statements charge for fraudulently altering a CIA email during the process of the bureau seeking a court’s permission to renew an order to wiretap a former Trump campaign adviser, is the only person prosecuted. Barr told NBC News this week there “could be” more charges but declined to get into whether there will be any major actions before the November election.
In his role as head of the judiciary panel, Graham is running a separate inquiry into the origins of Crossfire Hurricane, the FBI counterintelligence investigation that started it all with an examination of ties between President Trump’s 2016 campaign and Russia.
“My job as chairman of the Judiciary Committee is to find out how the Department of Justice and the FBI got Crossfire Hurricane so wrong, why they lied to the FISA court, to make sure it never happens again,” he said.
The senator said invitations have been sent to former FBI Director James Comey, former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, and former FBI agent Peter Strzok to testify about Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz’s scathing December assessment of Crossfire Hurricane. Graham said they will be “respectfully treated” and discussions are underway to make their appearances before his committee possible.
