County GOP Censures Lindsey Graham On A Host Of Issues

The Republican Party of Charleston, South Carolina has voted to censure Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) for working with Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) on cap-and-trade emissions legislation. This is getting a fair amount of play, as the whole notion of purging moderates and bipartisan sympathizers from the GOP is a big deal these days.

But it's a whole range of positions that the Charleston GOP hits Graham for taking: support for TARP and John McCain's comprehensive immigration bill (which failed in the Senate last year, though Graham gave an impassioned speech on its behalf, telling his colleagues, "we're not gonna get it any better than this!") are both thrown in as well.

In fact, Graham "in the name of bipartisanship -- continues to weaken the Republican brand and tarnish the ideals of freedom, rule of law, and fiscal conservatism," the Charleston GOP resolution says, also voicing skepticism of global warming science.

Graham is a political pragmatist. He's not a moderate in the mold of Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME)--he's more conservative than they are--but he seems to enjoy bucking the pressure to conform to conservative norms, sort of in the vein of his close friend, John McCain. He freely takes jabs at anti-Obama protesters and some of the purity-driven facets of the conservative movement.

Here's the full resolution, as passed by the Charleston GOP:

Whereas, U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham (SC) and John Kerry (MA) have called for a bipartisan bill dealing with "climate change" via a "Cap & Trade" energy bill;

Whereas, the basis of Cap & Trade - global warming caused by carbon emissions - is still in doubt as evidenced by the past decade of cooling temperatures;

Whereas, the people of South Carolina can ill afford the job-killing Cap & Trade bill's ripple effects on our state's economy and on personal energy bills;

Whereas, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham supported TARP and has shown a willingness to discuss nationalizing U.S. banking institutions;

Whereas, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham has shown a condescending attitude toward his constituents by calling them "bigots" when they oppose his stance on amnesty for illegal aliens;

Whereas, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham has stated on many occasions that his primary concern is to "be relevant";

Whereas, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham continues to hold the Republican Party hostage and undermines Republican leadership and party solidarity for his own benefit by joining the "Gang of 10" and the "Gang of 14";

Whereas, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham - in the name of bipartisanship - continues to weaken the Republican brand and tarnish the ideals of freedom, rule of law, and fiscal conservatism.

Therefore, let it be resolved: The Charleston County Republican Party Executive Committee respectfully requests, with sincere sadness that the South Carolina Republican Party withdraw their resolution commending U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham and that the Charleston Country Republican Party censure U.S. Senator Lindsey 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 & Trade" energy bill, bailing out banks, and granting amnesty for illegal aliens.