It was Lindsey Graham, with the bombshell being that one of the sex workers he hired was underage. Turns out he was a pedophile, similar to his cult leader Trump. For decades, Lindsey Graham regularly voted against and demonized the LGBTQ+ community. He got to live in a world that he denied for millions of others and the hypocrisy deserves to be called out. Here's a look at this record, spanning back to 1996, courtesy of @glaad: - May '96 - He co-sponsored the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), defining marriage as between a man and a woman. This was signed into law in 1996. - Jul '99 - He voted in favor of an amendment to prohibit same sex couples from being able to adopt in Washington D.C. - Sep '00 - He argued against federal hate crime legislation, saying it wasn't needed and that it'd "divide Americans." - May '06 - He voted for the Federal Marriage Amendment to the Constitution, claiming it was needed because, “Traditional marriage is now under attack.” - Dec '10 - He voted against allowing gay and bisexual people to openly serve in the military by opposing the repeal of “Don't Ask, Don't Tell." - Jan '13 - He opposed adding same-sex couple protections to an immigration reform bill - Nov '13 - He voted against the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which would have prohibited employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. - Jan '15 - He compared same-sex marriage to polygamy while questioning Loretta Lynch during her attorney general nomination hearing. Saying, “What legal rationale would be in play that would prohibit polygamy? Could you try to articulate how one could be banned under the Constitution and the other not?” - Jun' 15 - He co-sponsored the First Amendment Defense Act, to create an exemption to nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ people by those citing a religious based objection to marriage equality. - Jun '15 - After the Supreme Court's ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, he released a statement calling himself “a proud defender of traditional marriage” and stressing his support for “religious liberty.” - Jun '19 - Defended Donald Trump after accusations by E. Jean Carroll that Trump had sexually assaulted her. Saying, “All I would say: We live in an environment where people can come forward. That’s good. But allegations like this have to be cautiously reviewed. Trump was firm. Unequivocal. I have no reason not to believe him." - Jul '19 - He voted against a bill to ensure equal pay for female athletes (Athletics Fair Pay Act of 2019) - Jun '20 - He signed a brief to the Supreme Court to defend taxpayer-funded agency’s right to discriminate against qualified same-sex couples looking to become foster parents, Fulton v. City of Philadelphia. - Oct '20 - Tells an LGBTQ voter that he defends those who oppose marriage equality. Saying they're "not bigots or neanderthals” and “I’ve tried to be tolerant.” - Oct '20 - During the Barrett Supreme Court hearings, he again tried to link same-sex marriage to polygamy, by using Obergefell v Hodges. He also questions Barrett on possibly overturning it. - Aug '22 - He claimed that marriage equality should be decided at the state level, as the Senate debated the Respect for Marriage Act, two months after Roe v. Wade was overturned and justices were called for Obergefell v. Hodges to be re-evaluated. - Sep' 22 - He proposed federal ban on abortion three months after Roe v. Wade was overturned. - Jun '23 - After the Supreme Court ruled against DOMA, he expressed his disappointment and wrote a brief to the Court saying it won't change South Carolina law and that he will continue to fight for the "traditional definition of marriage." - Jan '25 - With Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville, he proposed a bill to ban transgender participation in sports nationwide. - Jan '25 - Voted to confirm Pete Hegseth for Defense Secretary, who had admitted to paying a $50k settlement to a woman who accused him of sexual assault. Hegseth claimed that DEI policies and LGBTQ inclusion “undermined” the military. Graham issued a statement that included: “He is bullish on creating a larger, more lethal military and is clear-eyed about America’s enemies, including Iran. Israel will have no better friend than Pete Hegseth.” - Nov '25 - Voted against the Respect for Marriage Act, which codified federal protections for married same-sex couples. - Jun '26 - Responded to U.S. Supreme Court decision upholding state bans on transgender girls in school sports, claiming that “countless women and girls have lost out on trophies and been forced to play under unsafe conditions.”