Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., announced on Sunday he is a "yes" on President Donald Trump's nominees: Tulsi Gabbard for Director of National Intelligence, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for secretary of Health and Human Services, and Kash Patel for FBI director.
After affirming to "Fox News Sunday," he's a "yes" on Kennedy, the South Carolina senator then voiced that he had some initial trepidations toward Gabbard but came around after she said she would approve the surveillance program underwritten in Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
"Yes. Yes, I'll be yes on her," Graham told host Shannon Bream. "I was waiting to see what she said about 702. That's the ability to track foreigners overseas who may be involved in plots against the country."
Critics of the program claim it trades on vague language, enabling authorities to spy on Americans. Roughly a week ago, a federal court's ruling was released that found the surveillance program was unconstitutional. Much of U.S. District Court Judge LaShann DeArcy's opinion was redacted.
Graham added that Gabbard has "shown her understanding of how vital 702 is. So I'll be a yes on RFK Jr., Tulsi Gabbard."
The senator went on to commend Patel for his performance at his Senate confirmation hearing, stating he "knocked it out of the park."
"He's the antidote to Crossfire Hurricane. He's going to go in and clean the FBI out to make sure it's never abused like it was in the past."
Crossfire Hurricane was the name of the FBI probe of the 2016 Trump campaign that sought to establish a link between Russia and Trump.
"And Crossfire Hurricane," Graham said, "was one of the saddest, dangerous — most dangerous chapters in FBI history. He's the guy that helped expose it. And he'll be ... the solution not the problem when it comes to the FBI, in my view."
Patel has called for "major reform" of Section 702.
Nick Koutsobinas ✉
Nick Koutsobinas, a Newsmax writer, has years of news reporting experience. A graduate from Missouri State University’s philosophy program, he focuses on exposing corruption and censorship.
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