Wes Hickman (202) 224-5972 or Kevin Bishop (864) 250-1417

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) made the following statement after the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on a censure of President Bush. “A censure of President Bush is unwarranted and unjustified. Censure would have the affect of destroying a vital and necessary national security program allowing us to monitor the enemy. To equate President Bush’s terrorist surveillance program with Watergate or President Clinton’s actions in a civil lawsuit is absurd. “The legal issues surrounding the NSA wiretapping issue are complex and very much unsettled. While I disagree with some of the Administrations legal positions, it is clear the White House is advocating a legal doctrine supported by past Presidents and one which has been subject to healthy legal debate. “The censure resolution, regardless of motive, will diminish the power of future Presidents because it could result in a President being politically punished because they disagreed with some members of Congress on the law. If the Senate votes on the censure resolution, I believe the sponsors will be fortunate to get a handful of votes.” #####