Bipartisan Senate Deal Advances Russia Sanctions Legislation in Honor of Late Senator Lindsey Graham
Before memorial services on Capitol Hill and at the cathedral, a bipartisan group of senators announced they had reached an agreement on legislation to further punish Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. The bill, sponsored by Mr. Graham alongside Senator Richard Blumenthal, Democrat of Connecticut, was slated to be brought to the floor for a vote later in the day in Mr. Graham’s honor, marking his final major legislative endeavor developed across party lines.
Notable Absences and Front-Row Seating Reveal Washington Power Dynamics
Numerous Democrats attended the services on Capitol Hill and the cathedral as a nod to capital rituals and a testament to their lasting personal affection for Mr. Graham. However, former President Joseph R. Biden Jr. was absent; once close to Mr. Graham, he grew estranged after the senator joined Mr. Trump’s attacks on his son Hunter Biden. Seating arrangements at the event underscored the pecking order of Mr. Trump’s Washington, positioning Eric Trump and daughter-in-law Lara Trump in the front row alongside the president and vice president, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth were relegated to the second row.
Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh Among Dignitaries Attending Services
Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh was also present to honor the late senator. Mr. Graham had previously secured a portion of Justice Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court confirmation by serving as his most passionate defender during contentious 2018 Senate hearings, where the nominee faced accusations of sexually assaulting a fellow student during high school.
President Trump Recounts 2016 Campaign Rivalry and Ensuing Ten-Year Friendship
Reflecting during the service, Mr. Trump shared anecdotes about running against Mr. Graham for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination. He recalled an act of revenge in which he publicly shared the senator’s personal mobile phone number after enduring harsh remarks, noting that Mr. Graham’s phone “exploded” with calls. Mr. Trump described the incident as the genesis of their friendship, adding that while he disrupted the senator’s phone for a single day, Lindsey Graham did not stop calling him for the subsequent decade.
