In a recent interview on the Christian Broadcasting Network, President Donald Trump was asked specifically what crime President Barack Obama committed as part of the vague conspiracy narrative the president calls "Obamagate." Trump responded, "treason."
But on Tuesday, Politico reported that the president's staunchest Republican allies in the Senate aren't willing to back him up on this — including Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC).
"I don't know what he's talking about," said Graham. "I don't have any evidence to believe he committed treason."
Some of his GOP colleagues agreed, with Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) saying, "I don't think that President Obama committed treason," and Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) saying, "It's a silly, comedic thing, and you guys got to stop taking it all so seriously."
Treason is the only crime specifically defined in the U.S. Constitution — so done because the framers feared a broader definition could be used by an authoritarian leader to target political opponents. The Constitution says that treason "shall consist only in levying War against [the United States], or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort."
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