Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., says he doesn’t care if President Trump ordered former White House counsel Don McGahn to fire special counsel Robert Mueller.
During an interview Sunday, the Senate Judiciary chairman said what is important is that Trump did not actually impede the special counsel’s investigation.
“I think it’s just all theater. It doesn’t matter. I don’t care what he said to Don McGahn. It’s what he did. And the president never obstructed,” Graham said on CBS’s “Face the Nation.”
McGahn served as White House counsel from 2017 until late last year. According to Mueller’s report, released earlier this month with redactions, he was one of the officials who resisted Trump’s orders to have Mueller fired. He was also told to lie about being ordered to fire Mueller.
McGahn cooperated with the special counsel’s team, sitting down for several interviews. He is now sought after by Democratic investigators on Capitol Hill for testimony.
Graham’s committee is holding a hearing with Attorney General William Barr next week about the Mueller report, but closed the door to any further action, including seeking testimony from McGahn and Mueller.
“I’m not going to re-litigate it,” Graham said after being asked about both testimony from McGahn and Mueller.
The redacted special counsel report examined nearly a dozen “episodes” for possible obstruction of justice. Although Mueller declined to conclude there was obstruction, the special counsel also noted that he could not say “no criminal conduct occurred.”
