Lindsey Graham Demands Other Republicans Support Trump’s Emergency Declaration – By Jake Thomas (The Intellectualist) / Feb 4 2019
Sen. Lindsey Graham said there is no reason for any Republican “not to have this president’s back” regarding the wall.
Bloomberg reports that Senator Lindsey Graham has warned Republicans that they should support Trump if he declares an emergency to build a border wall.
“To every Republican, if you don’t stand behind this president, we’re not going to stand behind you, when it comes to the wall,” Graham said in a speech in Greenville, South Carolina. “This is the defining moment of his presidency. It’s not just about a wall, it’s about him being treated different than every other president.”
Graham added that he does not expect Congress will be able to reach a deal that would provide money for a border wall before February 15, the deadline before the government will be shut down again. He said that he fears a “war within the Republican Party over the wall”.
He said, “This is about more than a barrier. This is about us as a party.”
If Trump used his authority to declare an emergency, it would trigger a divisive vote within the GOP. More, the emergency could be challenged in court.
Due to a 1976 law, Trump can declare a national emergency if he defines the reason to Congress. Yet, any lawmaker can demand a vote to overturn the decision. If Congress does disapprove, the president can veto the resolution.
Graham says he understands the concerns of his fellow Republicans, but that’s “no excuse not to have this president’s back now, because we’re not doing anything exotic here.”
