Senate

Graham says he would subpoena for evidence on Trump wiretap claim

by Rebecca Savransky - 03/09/17 7:31 AM ET

Sen. Lindsey Graham says he would be willing to subpoena intelligence agencies to get information related to President Trump’s claim that former President Obama wiretapped Trump Tower before the election.

The South Carolina Republican responded “yes” when asked by CNN if he would subpoena for evidence.

“All I can say is that the country needs an answer to this,” Graham said.

“The current president has accused the former president of basically wiretapping his campaign.”

When asked if he talked with the president about his wiretapping claim, Graham said they discussed Russia.

{mosads}”I said Russia’s not our friend. They need to pay a price for interfering in our elections,” Graham said. “And I think the president gets that the best way to change the world is for America to be strong.”

Graham and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) are requesting the Justice Department and FBI hand over any potential applications for a warrant to wiretap the Trump campaign.

“We request that the Department of Justice provide us copies of any warrant applications and court orders … related to wiretaps of President Trump, the Trump Campaign, or Trump Tower,” the two senators wrote in a letter to Dana Boente, the acting deputy attorney general, and FBI Director James Comey.

The comments come after Trump claimed in a series of tweets early Saturday morning that Obama monitored him at Trump Tower last year.

The president, citing no evidence, questioned whether it was legal for a sitting president to tap “a race for president prior to an election.”

“How low has President Obama gone to tapp [sic] my phones during the very sacred election process,” the president tweeted.

“This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy!”

Obama, through representatives, has sharply denied the claims, which were viewed with skepticism by top intelligences officials. The White House has struggled to justify the allegation, with no proof appearing to be forthcoming.

Tags Lindsey Graham Sheldon Whitehouse