The Republican investigations into the Obama administration are fueling public animosity in the Senate.
Those tensions, which have been simmering for months, boiled over this past week, resulting in shouting matches and multiple warnings of long-standing damage to the chamber as an institution.
The scene played out across days, on and off the floor and in multiple committee rooms, as both Sens. Ron Johnson
Ronald (Ron) Harold JohnsonGraham postpones Russia probe subpoena vote as tensions boil over GOP votes to give chairman authority to subpoena Obama officials Democratic senator to skip vote on Obama-era subpoenas MORE (R-Wis.) and Lindsey Graham
Lindsey Olin GrahamSunday shows preview: Protests against George Floyd's death, police brutality rock the nation for a second week Bill aims to help farmers sell carbon credits Graham postpones Russia probe subpoena vote as tensions boil over MORE (R-S.C.) took up subpoenas related to their investigations and former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein
Rod RosensteinGraham postpones Russia probe subpoena vote as tensions boil over GOP chairmen stake out turf in Obama-era probes McCabe, Rosenstein spar over Russia probe MORE testified for the first time since resigning last year.
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Graham, a top Trump ally of President Trump
Donald John TrumpMitt Romney invokes late father during the Civil Rights Movement amid protests White House wanted to deploy 10,000 troops to control protests: reports Zuckerberg, Chan-funded scientists pen 'letter of concern' over Trump, misinformation MORE, tipped his hand to the months of building frustration, much of which has played out in shots fired through the press, saying Democrats had made it “abundantly clear” that they disagree with him and “think I am in Trump’s pocket.”
“It’s not lost on me,” Graham said. “But to expect me to punt? You can forget it.”
Democrats view the probes as an effort by Republicans to use their Senate gavels to go after Trump’s political enemies — including former Vice President Joe Biden
Joe BidenBiden's right, we need policing reform now - the House should quickly take up his call to action Ohio is suddenly a 2020 battleground Biden wins Guam presidential primary MORE, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee — ahead of November.
“This is going to be a Trump reelect show from start to finish,” Sen. Dick Durbin
Richard (Dick) Joseph DurbinGraham postpones Russia probe subpoena vote as tensions boil over Senate panel sends Trump appeals court pick to floor in party-line vote Democrats aim to amend Graham subpoena to include Trump allies MORE (D-Ill.) told The Hill.
Sen. Patrick Leahy
Patrick Joseph LeahyDemocrats introduce bill to rein in Trump's power under Insurrection Act Murkowski, Mattis criticism ratchets up pressure on GOP over Trump House punts on FISA, votes to begin negotiations with Senate MORE (D-Vt.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a former chairman, called Graham’s subpoena threat “the Senate at its worst.”
The bickering comes as Republicans are ramping up their investigations into decisions stemming from the Obama administration, including the FBI’s probe into Russia's election interference and the Trump campaign and former special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation.
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Graham on Thursday delayed a vote on a wide-ranging subpoena, which would include more than 50 people, after a fierce clash with Democrats over the request. They will instead vote on the subpoena on Thursday, when Graham is expected to ultimately have the votes.
Durbin, during the hearing, told Graham that he viewed the investigation as about a “president who just can't get over it — maybe he will never will — and by a chairman who wants him to have another day to make his point about how he was mistreated.”
Graham interrupted to say, "With all due respect, I don't buy what you're saying at all."
The rancor, which comes in the lead-up to the 2020 election, is the latest high-profile fight in a Senate increasingly battered by partisan tensions, ranging from Supreme Court nominations to an impeachment trial that ended only four months ago.
Just this past week, the Senate confirmed Trump’s nominee to lead the U.S. Agency for Global Media, despite an active investigation by the D.C. attorney general and an attempt by Sen. Bob Menendez
Robert (Bob) MenendezGovernment watchdog: 'No evidence' Pompeo violated Hatch Act with Kansas trips No time to be selling arms to the Philippines Senate panel approves Trump nominee under investigation MORE (N.J.), the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, to delay the vote.
“I have been really patient. Every time that I set this for a hearing and they wanted more time, I let that go,” said Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jim Risch
James (Jim) Elroy RischDemocrat Paulette Jordan to face incumbent Jim Risch in Idaho Senate race Hillicon Valley: Lawmakers demand answers on Chinese COVID hacks | Biden re-ups criticism of Amazon | House Dem bill seeks to limit microtargeting Senate panel approves Trump nominee under investigation MORE (R-Idaho) as he rejected the attempt to delay Michael Pack’s nomination.
But the Judiciary Committee, in particular, has been at the center of some of the chamber’s biggest fights, including Brett Kavanaugh
Brett Michael KavanaughWhy the Senate must vote against Justin Walker's nomination to the D.C. Circuit Court Senate panel sends Trump appeals court pick to floor in party-line vote Rosenstein takes fire from Republicans in heated testimony MORE’s Supreme Court nomination and William Barr
William Pelham BarrSunday shows preview: Protests against George Floyd's death, police brutality rock the nation for a second week Trump is playing with fire rather than leading Barr says he didn't give 'tactical' command to clear Lafayette protesters MORE’s attorney general nomination. At the same hearing where Graham delayed the subpoena vote, the committee also voted along party lines to send Justin Walker’s D.C. Circuit nomination to the full Senate for a confirmation vote.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein
Dianne Emiel FeinsteinGOP chairmen stake out turf in Obama-era probes Rosenstein takes fire from Republicans in heated testimony Democrats aim to amend Graham subpoena to include Trump allies MORE (Calif.), the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, warned that if Graham goes forward with the subpoena, he’ll be setting a long-lasting and, in her view, damaging precedent for how the committee uses its investigatory powers.
“Once the door is opened to proceeding in this manner – to allowing the chairman sweeping, unilateral authority to subpoena political opponents – that door remains open, regardless of which party has majority power,” she said.
Graham, however, argued that Democrats being unwilling to help him investigate “says a lot, I think, not good about this committee.”
“I feel passionately about what I’m doing and why, and I don’t need anybody to validate to me I know what I’m up to. I think I’ve been more than fair. They have a different view and that’s the way it goes,” he added to The Hill.
Johnson successfully got subpoena authority to compel more than 30 individuals to testify and demand a wide swath of documents as he probes what he sees as “corruption” stemming from the Obama administration, including the Russia investigation, the case against former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn, who was fired after lying about his conversations with a Russian ambassador, and embarrassing leaks dating back to the early days of Trump’s presidency.
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But before Johnson did so, he got an earful from both sides of the aisle who questioned if the investigation was the best use of the committee’s time during a pandemic.
Sen. Gary Peters
Gary Charles PetersGOP votes to give chairman authority to subpoena Obama officials Democratic senator to skip vote on Obama-era subpoenas Comey, Rice, Clapper among GOP senator's targets for subpoenas amid Obama-era probe MORE (Mich.), the top Democrat on the committee, said the subpoena request looked like a “fishing expedition” that came even as the Justice Department is investigating much of the same ground.
"To duplicate the Justice Department's efforts now suggests that this pursuit is more about duplicating headlines than any real need for an investigation," Peters said.
Sen. Mitt Romney
Willard (Mitt) Mitt RomneyMitt Romney invokes late father during the Civil Rights Movement amid protests Ex-Joint Chiefs chairman: Trump threat to use military on protesters 'very dangerous' Ex-Defense secretary criticizes Trump for using military for 'partisan political purposes' MORE (R-Utah) said he had struck a deal with Johnson that would let him support the subpoena authority request but not without raising concerns about the probe.
"I believe there are far more urgent priorities the committee should address," Romney said. "I continue to be concerned that this is politically motivated."
Sen. Rob Portman
Robert (Rob) Jones PortmanOVERNIGHT DEFENSE: Murkowski, Mattis criticism ratchets up pressure on GOP over Trump| Esper orders hundreds of active-duty troops outside DC sent home day after reversal | Iran releases US Navy veteran Michael White Murkowski, Mattis criticism ratchets up pressure on GOP over Trump Portman: Trump should shift 'tone' amid criticism over response to protests MORE (R-Ohio) voted to allow Johnson to issue the subpoenas but said he hoped the chairman wouldn’t ultimately do so amid “all of the other things we have on our plate right now” and “unless it’s absolutely necessary.”
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In the Judiciary Committee, Sen. Ben Sasse
Benjamin (Ben) Eric SasseGraham postpones Russia probe subpoena vote as tensions boil over Clyburn: Cowed GOP ascribes 'mystical powers' to Trump Trump pushes back against GOP senators' criticism of dispersal of protesters in Lafayette Square: 'You got it wrong' MORE (R-Neb.) also found himself at odds with Graham after he fumed that the public sparring was “bullshit” fueled because there were TV cameras in the room.
“Ninety percent of our committees are about people trolling for sound bites,” Sasse added.
The moment had a perhaps unintended consequence: It rallied Graham to defend Democrats as well as his own right to argue with them.
"I didn’t want to say anybody’s grandstanding. They genuinely disagree with what I’m doing. I genuinely disagree with their approach to how we should do oversight," Graham told The Hill. "Sen. Sasse is frustrated, but I don't want to cheapen what they're doing. I don't think they're playing to the cameras. I think they sincerely believe what they believe."
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GOP's Obama-era probes fuel Senate angst | TheHill - The Hill
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