“Fed Up”: South Carolina GOP Formally Rebukes Lindsay Graham For Cap And Trade And More

November 12th, 2009 (13) Posted By Pat Dollard.

APTOPIX Climate Bill

New York Times:

Senator Lindsey Graham, the Republican with a maverick streak, has been censured by local Republican Party officials in his home state of South Carolina.

The executive committee of the Charleston County Republican Party voted unanimously on Monday to rebuke Mr. Graham “for many of the positions he has taken that do not represent the wishes of the people of South Carolina, such as: passing a ‘cap and trade’ energy bill, bailing out banks and granting amnesty for illegal aliens.”

Lin Bennett, the chairwoman of the local party, told the Charleston Post and Courier that party leaders were “fed up.”

“The feeling is if you’re not going to uphold the platform, then why bother to run as a Republican?” she said. Ms. Bennett also said that about 50 members of the executive committee voted on the censure, according to the Post and Courier. But the move closely follows the fallout from the November elections, where conservatives pushed hard against centrist Republicans over candidates who don’t adhere to a narrow base of core principles.

In a statement, Mr. Graham’s office pointed out that he was ranked the 15th most conservative senator in 2008 by National Journal.

“Like former President Reagan, he strongly believes elected officials need to find common ground and work together to solve difficult problems like making our nation energy independent and protecting our environment,” said Kevin Bishop, a spokesman for Mr. Graham. “Working to solve problems and being conservative are not mutually exclusive. You can do both and that’s what people in South Carolina elected him to do.‬‪”

Mr. Graham, who easily won election to a second term in 2008, recently announced he was joining up with Senators John Kerry, the Massachusetts Democrat, and Joseph Lieberman, the Connecticut Independent, to try to craft a framework for compromise climate change legislation. (Mr. Graham also teamed up with Mr. Kerry to write a recent Times Op-ed on climate change.)

In recent years, Mr. Graham was part of a team of senators that tried, unsuccessfully, to fashion a bipartisan overhaul of the immigration system. He was also a member of the “Gang of 14” that broke an impasse on judicial nominations, and he voted to confirm Justice Sonia Sotomayor earlier this year.

In last year’s Republican primary, Mr. Graham captured 69 percent of the vote in Charleston County.

Jihadi Killer Radio Hour
Follow Pat on Twitter
  • http://marbur4@aol.com marsha

    Wake up folks, this guy is one of the biggest RINO’s in the pack. Vote his butt out. But in the mean time it good that the gop slapped his hands and is making it public, that they did. (Which we all know is just trying to make them look good) But then end result is that maybe they are starting to listen to AMERICANS!

  • Carol Bishop

    Lindsey is not a “bad” person. He is not always wrong. My problem with him is that he leans left. He allowed/invited illegals into SC. He was a huge fan of Ted Kennedy and co signed many bills with him and worked closely with Ted. Thats says alot in itself. If we wanted a Kennedy holding a SC office we would be called Massachusetts.

  • Tellicorick

    I don’t know about everyone else, but when I hear the term “Maverick” I think of another word – traitor! A Republican who abandons conservative principles in this wrong-minded approach to “Go Along to Get Along” is nothing more than an unprincipled traitor and is bad for America.

    The Republican Party best gird up their loins and start proposing real Conservatives with principles for candidates. If not, what’s the difference between a Liberal and a Maverick? None!

  • http://www.insensitiveconservative.blogspot.com Insensitive Conservative

    “Like former President Reagan, he strongly believes elected officials need to find common ground and work together to solve difficult problems like making our nation energy independent and protecting our environment,” said Kevin Bishop, a spokesman for Mr. Graham. “Working to solve problems and being conservative are not mutually exclusive. You can do both and that’s what people in South Carolina elected him to do.‬‪”

    :shock:

    What a false statement! This idiot Bishop needs to be called out for invoking Reagan’s great name with such tripe!

    Just what is he talking about? Reagan didn’t believe in “finding common ground!” He rightly believed that Conservatism was always right. There was no “compromise.” Any compromise with Reagan was admitting that Reagan was correct.

    Did it hurt him? Not in the least! Reagan won two landslide elections without “finding common ground.” Down with RINO’s and other “mavericks!” Republicans were lambasted in the 2006 and 2008 elections filled with Rino’s and “mavericks!” No more!

    Bishop is an idiot. True, pure, unadulterated, Reagan Conservatism is on the rise once again. Can’t wait for 2010 elections where Conservatives will make their voices heard!!!

  • Wilson

    only the New York Times would call Lindsey “Grahamnesty” a freaking CENTRIST. I guess he is centrist to people who are so far left they’re in danger on falling off the planet. Blech.

  • Sully

    Reagan was a ‘big tent’ guy.
    He just believed Conservatives should own the tent.

  • Indy

    If he doesn’t have the common sense to see the sham of Cap And Tax, then he should be thrown from the party. There is more than enough information and proof to discredit the Gorons scheme to at lest prevent the take over by government of our energy supply. This is nothing but a revenue collecting scam.You can not power the country with useless windmills and solar panels without an oil and coal infrastructure, even if the greenies would allow them to be put in the desert.They will hold up progress for decades in the industry. Forget Nuclear, they will do the same. It took over ten years just to get a desalination plant approved in our city.

    • Indy

      In twenty years there will be no change, and they will have stolen trillions of our hard earned tax dollars.The only ones to benefit will be the the elitists who invested in this rip-off.

  • saepe expertus

    “….the Republican with a maverick streak.” :shock:
    When I hear that term from the NYT I throw up in my mouth. He needs to go. I think it is about time that South Carolina leads the way again, 1861 style, and then clears out the damn carpetbaggers.

    • Sully

      Yeah.
      That went well.

  • WRHofSC

    Lindsey is a well intentioned man. However as a South Carolina conservative (who refused to vote for him last go around) his first gut instinct in any political fight is to surrender and attempt to negotiate the best terms possible. Perhaps a smart strategic thought given the lack of conservatives in the senate. However, that is not the thinking of a Reagan Republican and certainly not the thinking of someone you want leading you into the battle of a life time.

    • saepe expertus

      Thank you for the clarification. I agree with you.

  • http://google Delta Actual

    Is it just me or when Lindsey talks he sounds like he’s got some sugar in his britches.Thats no Southern drawl I have ever heard before.This is not a joke as I am very serious.Ted Drunkennedy was a big advocate for gays and Graham sure got cozy with him.Just an observation.