Comments on: Graham Votes in Favor of Hate Crimes http://theconservativist.com/2009/10/13/graham-does-not-vote-on-hate-crimes-amendment/ The Upstate's Source for Politics Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:42:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: tfagan http://theconservativist.com/2009/10/13/graham-does-not-vote-on-hate-crimes-amendment/comment-page-1/#comment-8702 tfagan Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:52:30 +0000 http://theconservativist.com/?p=2015#comment-8702 I guess Senator Graham figured out the best way to fool the Republicans was to miss the vote thus avoiding a no vote and in so doing help to get it passed. I think Sarah Palin has it right, if Graham runs again, vote for the independent if the choise is a Democratic liberal or a Republican liberal. If the Denocratic and Republican liberals have thier way we will all be looking for a government hand out as the jobs continue to disappear. I guess Senator Graham figured out the best way to fool the Republicans was to miss the vote thus avoiding a no vote and in so doing help to get it passed.

I think Sarah Palin has it right, if Graham runs again, vote for the independent if the choise is a Democratic liberal or a Republican liberal.

If the Denocratic and Republican liberals have thier way we will all be looking for a government hand out as the jobs continue to disappear.

]]> By: Nathan Earle http://theconservativist.com/2009/10/13/graham-does-not-vote-on-hate-crimes-amendment/comment-page-1/#comment-8687 Nathan Earle Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:33:40 +0000 http://theconservativist.com/?p=2015#comment-8687 This kind of shell game is exactly the method the Democratic leadership plans to use to ram unpopular, unconstitutional health care legislation through Congress. This kind of shell game is exactly the method the Democratic leadership plans to use to ram unpopular, unconstitutional health care legislation through Congress.

]]> By: Kevin Bishop http://theconservativist.com/2009/10/13/graham-does-not-vote-on-hate-crimes-amendment/comment-page-1/#comment-8686 Kevin Bishop Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:12:24 +0000 http://theconservativist.com/?p=2015#comment-8686 Gary, not sure where you are getting your information from but it is incorrect. Senator Graham has consistently voted against the Hate Crimes legislation in both the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Senate Armed Services Committee. He also discussed his opposition to the Hate Crimes provision in great length at the Greenville town hall meeting this week. (http://www.greenvilleonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009910130317) The Senate voted to include the hate crimes provision on the defense authorization bill. Senator Graham did not make the vote, but he put a statement in the Congressional Record indicating that he would have opposed the hate crimes amendment. Cloture was invoked on the amendment by a vote of 63 – 28. NOT VOTING on cloture is the same as a NO vote since 60 affirmative votes are needed to cut off debate. (Basically, 59-0 is a loss on cloture, 60-0 is a win.) Here is the transcript of the CONGRESSIONAL RECORD: <i><b>Mr. DURBIN</b>. I announce that the Senator from West Virginia (Mr. Byrd) and the Senator from Massachusetts (Mr. Kennedy) are necessarily absent. <b>Mr. KYL</b>. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from Tennessee (Mr. Alexander), the Senator from Missouri (Mr. Bond), the Senator from Kentucky (Mr. Bunning), the Senator from Tennessee (Mr. Corker), the Senator from South Carolina (Mr. Graham), the Senator from New Hampshire (Mr. Gregg), and the Senator from Florida (Mr. Martinez). Further, if present and voting, the Senator from Tennessee (Mr. Alexander) would have voted ``nay,'' the Senator from Kentucky (Mr. Bunning) would have voted ``nay,'' <b>the Senator from South Carolina (Mr. Graham) would have voted ``nay,''</b> and the Senator from Tennessee (Mr. Corker) would have voted ``nay.''” (Congressional Record, July 16, 2009)</i> While Senator Graham supported sending the defense authorization bill to conference, he did so while vigorously opposing the addition of hate crimes and telling Chairman Levin (D-Michigan) that he would not support a conference report that included hate crimes. In previous years, the Democrats removed hate crimes from the final defense authorization conference report. Unfortunately, this year they did not. As a result, Senator Graham joined 8 other Republican conferees – Senators Jim Inhofe (Oklahoma), Jeff Sessions (Alabama), Saxby Chambliss (Georgia), John Thune (South Dakota), Roger F. Wicker (Mississippi), George S. LeMieux (Florida), Richard Burr (North Carolina), David Vitter (Louisiana)-- in NOT signing the conference report. (Sens. McCain and Collins were the only Republicans to sign.) The Senate has yet to take up the conference report for a final vote. I hope you will make a correction to your story and print my response in the comment section to clear up the erroneous information contained in this story. Kevin Bishop Communications Director U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham Gary, not sure where you are getting your information from but it is incorrect.

Senator Graham has consistently voted against the Hate Crimes legislation in both the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Senate Armed Services Committee. He also discussed his opposition to the Hate Crimes provision in great length at the Greenville town hall meeting this week. (http://www.greenvilleonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009910130317)

The Senate voted to include the hate crimes provision on the defense authorization bill.

Senator Graham did not make the vote, but he put a statement in the Congressional Record indicating that he would have opposed the hate crimes amendment. Cloture was invoked on the amendment by a vote of 63 – 28.

NOT VOTING on cloture is the same as a NO vote since 60 affirmative votes are needed to cut off debate. (Basically, 59-0 is a loss on cloture, 60-0 is a win.)

Here is the transcript of the CONGRESSIONAL RECORD:

Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from West Virginia (Mr. Byrd) and the Senator from Massachusetts (Mr. Kennedy) are necessarily absent.

Mr. KYL. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from Tennessee (Mr. Alexander), the Senator from Missouri (Mr. Bond), the Senator from Kentucky (Mr. Bunning), the Senator from Tennessee (Mr. Corker), the Senator from South Carolina (Mr. Graham), the Senator from New Hampshire (Mr. Gregg), and the Senator from Florida (Mr. Martinez).

Further, if present and voting, the Senator from Tennessee (Mr. Alexander) would have voted “nay,” the Senator from Kentucky (Mr. Bunning) would have voted “nay,” the Senator from South Carolina (Mr. Graham) would have voted “nay,” and the Senator from Tennessee (Mr. Corker) would have voted “nay.”” (Congressional Record, July 16, 2009)

While Senator Graham supported sending the defense authorization bill to conference, he did so while vigorously opposing the addition of hate crimes and telling Chairman Levin (D-Michigan) that he would not support a conference report that included hate crimes.

In previous years, the Democrats removed hate crimes from the final defense authorization conference report. Unfortunately, this year they did not.

As a result, Senator Graham joined 8 other Republican conferees – Senators Jim Inhofe (Oklahoma), Jeff Sessions (Alabama), Saxby Chambliss (Georgia), John Thune (South Dakota), Roger F. Wicker (Mississippi), George S. LeMieux (Florida), Richard Burr (North Carolina), David Vitter (Louisiana)– in NOT signing the conference report. (Sens. McCain and Collins were the only Republicans to sign.)

The Senate has yet to take up the conference report for a final vote.

I hope you will make a correction to your story and print my response in the comment section to clear up the erroneous information contained in this story.

Kevin Bishop
Communications Director
U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham

]]> By: Mike Reino http://theconservativist.com/2009/10/13/graham-does-not-vote-on-hate-crimes-amendment/comment-page-1/#comment-8685 Mike Reino Wed, 14 Oct 2009 03:43:51 +0000 http://theconservativist.com/?p=2015#comment-8685 Here you go, Gary. Actually it mentions the addition of the hate crime bobtail on Jim Clyburn's vote on the House Bill. www.congress.org/congressorg/issues/votes/?votenum315=&chamber=S&congress=1111 Here you go, Gary. Actually it mentions the addition of the hate crime bobtail on Jim Clyburn’s vote on the House Bill.

http://www.congress.org/congressorg/issues/votes/?votenum315=&chamber=S&congress=1111

]]> By: Gary Coats http://theconservativist.com/2009/10/13/graham-does-not-vote-on-hate-crimes-amendment/comment-page-1/#comment-8684 Gary Coats Wed, 14 Oct 2009 02:32:50 +0000 http://theconservativist.com/?p=2015#comment-8684 Mike, I couldn't find that in the Congressional Record or the Senate site. Can you provide a link? Mike, I couldn’t find that in the Congressional Record or the Senate site. Can you provide a link?

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