Senate Resolution on Yemen Advances With Help of Furious Lindsey Graham: ‘I Changed My Mind Because I’m Pissed’
The Senate voted 63-37 this afternoon to advance a resolution that would pull U.S. support for the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen. The White House is threatening a veto, but some lawmakers have made their frustrations clear after Wednesday’s briefing with Mike Pompeo and James Mattis.
Some Democratic lawmakers who voted against the resolution months ago have changed their minds, and there’s little doubt that the growing scrutiny surrounding Saudi Arabia following the murder of Jamal Khashoggi and the White House’s response to is has been a major factor.
Senator Lindsey Graham in particular was incensed after the briefing today and the absence of CIA Director Gina Haspel, threatening to not vote in favor of a spending bill until lawmakers hear from the CIA.
He ended up voting yes on the bipartisan resolution — proposed by Mike Lee and Bernie Sanders — and rather bluntly told reporters he changed his mind because he is “pissed”:
From colleague Kristina Biddle. Graham on why he voted yes to begin debate on Yemen war resolution: I changed my mind cause I’m pissed..the way the admin has handled Saudi has been unacceptable. The briefing didn’t help my today at all.
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) November 28, 2018
Sen. Lindsey Graham said he switched his vote on the Yemen resolution because he’s “pissed.”
“The way the administration has handled [Khashoggi] is not acceptable,” he said. (Via @sarahmucha)
— Jennifer Hansler (@jmhansler) November 28, 2018
Lindsey Graham votes to advance the Yemen resolution: “I changed my mind because I’m pissed.” Calls the administration not sending Haspel to the Hill “BS.”
— Katie Bo Williams (@KatieBoWill) November 28, 2018
Senator Graham says he changed his vote on the Yemen resolution from no to yes because he’s “pissed.”
“The way the administration has handled the Saudi Arabia event is just not acceptable.”
— Michael Del Moro (@MikeDelMoro) November 28, 2018
He was joined by 13 other Republicans, including Tennessee Sen. Bob Corker — who also changed his mind about the vote on Wednesday in frustration after the briefing:
14 Republican senators joined every Democrat to advance the anti-Yemen war resolution:
ALEXANDER
CASSIDY
COLLINS*
CORKER
DAINES*
FLAKE
GRAHAM
LEE*
MORAN*
MURKOWSKI
PAUL*
PORTMAN
YOUNG
TOOMEY
*Previously voted to advance the resolution— Steven Dennis (@StevenTDennis) November 28, 2018
Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy applauded his Republican colleagues:
I’ve been at this for 3 years, and I am blown away by this.
By a big bipartisan margin, 63-37, the Senate just voted, for the first time, to move forward with a debate on ending American involvement in the Yemen war.
Thanks to @SenMikeLee @SenSanders for their partnership.
— Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) November 28, 2018
[Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images]
from Mediaite https://ift.tt/2E55Soh
0 comments