Senator Lindsey Graham Watch: Is Senator Graham Blocking Conservative Nominee Haynes?

Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.) is being lobbied by conservatives to allow a vote on appellate court nominee William James Haynes.

Washington Post: Conservatives Backing Nominee Look at Graham

No longer content with bashing Democrats for their obstruction of President Bush’s judicial nominees, a coalition of conservative groups is now turning its attention to a prominent Republican — Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (S.C.).

The campaign, led by the Committee for Justice, is aimed at persuading Graham to allow a vote on William James Haynes II, the general counsel at the Department of Defense and a nominee for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit. Although the campaign is in its infancy, organizers expect it to develop into a national e-mail and telephone lobbying effort.

“A key reason why Lindsey Graham is Senator Graham is because he ran as opposed to the obstruction of the president’s judicial nominees,” said Sean Rushton, executive director of the Committee for Justice. “We hope he’ll remember that.”

Graham insists he has engaged in no formal obstruction of Haynes, nor has he enlisted other senators to do so. Along with colleague and political ally John McCain (R-Ariz.), Graham has expressed concern regarding the advice Haynes provided the Bush administration on the treatment of detainees captured in the war on terrorism. “The role Mr. Haynes played as DOD general counsel formulating these policies and whether he was receptive to legal advice from the military will be a line of inquiry when his nomination is brought up,” said Kevin D. Bishop, communications director for Graham.

Haynes was nominated in 2003.

Opposing conservatives on one of their pet issues carries political risks for both Graham and McCain. Since winning the seat vacated by the late Sen. Strom Thurmond (R) in 2002, Graham has faced occasional opposition from his party’s base, a resistance that hardened when he joined a bipartisan group of senators — the “Gang of 14” — to defuse a showdown on judicial nominees.

Charleston developer Thomas Ravenel, who narrowly lost a bid for the GOP Senate nomination in 2004, has encouraged speculation that he might mount a primary challenge to Graham in 2008 but is seeking state office in 2006.

Senator Graham deserves a primary challenge.

Every time he is on national media the MORON makes a fool out of himself and the GOP.

He is NO Strom Thurmond.

Another reason for NOT ONE DIME NOR ONE VOTE.

Powerline has Arlen Specter or Tom Daschle, take your pick

Graham is widely thought (along with Senator McCain) to be obstructing the nomination of Jim Haynes, the general counsel of the defense department. Graham apparently has tight connections with military lawyers who disliked the Pentagon’s legal position on detainee interrogations. The Post quotes a spokesman for Graham who expresses concern that Haynes may not have been receptive enough to “advice from the military.” However, Haynes was obliged to take his legal advice (if that’s what the spokesman is referring to) from the Justice Department and the Office of White House Counsel, and he did so.

If Senator Graham nonetheless feels that Haynes is unfit to serve on the Fourth Circuit by virtue of his legal memos (or for any other reason) that’s fine. But let’s have the debate and the vote.

Up or down vote, Senator Graham!

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