Sen. Lindsey Graham Lindsey Olin GrahamLincoln Project mocks Lindsey Graham's fundraising lag with Sarah McLachlan-themed video The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - Republicans lawmakers rebuke Trump on election Trump dumbfounds GOP with latest unforced error MORE (R-S.C.) on Wednesday blasted the newly unveiled House impeachment procedures, arguing they still fall short of giving President Trump Donald John TrumpFederal prosecutor speaks out, says Barr 'has brought shame' on Justice Dept. Former Pence aide: White House staffers discussed Trump refusing to leave office Progressive group buys domain name of Trump's No. 1 Supreme Court pick MORE due process.

Graham, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a top ally of Trump, said that the decision to allow House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff Adam Bennett SchiffSchiff to subpoena top DHS official, alleges whistleblower deposition is being stonewalled Schiff claims DHS is blocking whistleblower's access to records before testimony GOP lawmakers distance themselves from Trump comments on transfer of power MORE (D-Calif.) to take the lead in the impeachment investigation was a significant break with precedent.

The new process is “substantially different than the way we’ve done it in the past,” Graham argued Wednesday, a day after Democrats unveiled the new procedures.

ADVERTISEMENT

“The Intel committee is part of the process, which has never been done, and the president’s counsel is not allowed to participate in the Intel committee,” Graham said.

“It’s still a behind-closed-doors, lack-of-due-process," he said. "And they’re trying to create something new that I think is just substandard and dangerous to the presidency."

The House resolution directs the Intelligence Committee and five other House panels to continue their investigations of the president and his administration.

It directs Schiff to hold open hearings and provides equal time to Rep. Devin Nunes Devin Gerald NunesOvernight Defense: Stopgap spending measure awaits Senate vote | Trump nominates former Nunes aide for intelligence community watchdog | Trump extends ban on racial discrimination training to contractors, military Trump nominates former Nunes aide to serve as intel community inspector general Sunday shows preview: Justice Ginsburg dies, sparking partisan battle over vacancy before election MORE (Calif.), the ranking Republican on the Intelligence panel, to question witnesses.

It also empowers Nunes to request witness testimony relevant to the investigation.



Nunes may subpoena witnesses and records relevant to the investigation with Schiff’s agreement. If Schiff refuses a request for witness testimony or evidence, the whole committee — which is controlled by Democrats — would vote on the question.

The Intelligence Committee will submit its report to the Judiciary panel, which will then decide if it is sufficient to advance articles of impeachment to the full House.

Graham on Wednesday also downplayed the testimony of Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, who told House investigators that a transcript of a July 25 call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was edited to remove a reference to Burisma Holdings, a Ukrainian company that paid former Vice President Joe Biden Joe BidenFormer Pence aide: White House staffers discussed Trump refusing to leave office Progressive group buys domain name of Trump's No. 1 Supreme Court pick Bloomberg rolls out M ad buy to boost Biden in Florida MORE's son Hunter Biden tens of thousands of dollars to serve on its board.

“I have no doubt that he’s doing what he thinks is right," Graham said of Vindman, who testified for hours on Capitol Hill on Tuesday. "I appreciate his service but I’ve read the transcript and if you add his corrections in it doesn’t change anything for me."

Graham said the corrections Vindman proposed for the transcript of the July 25 call “don’t change the substance at all.”