OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
FBI agents took possession of Sen. Lindsey Graham’s cellphone earlier this week after he said he received an odd text from Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.).
Reports said that whoever sent the message was actually impersonating Schumer and that the New York Democrat’s device may have been hacked. The South Carolina Republican addressed the situation while speaking at the annual The Hill and Valley Forum in Washington on Wednesday.
The summit brings together individuals from the technology industry, private business, and security sectors, along with lawmakers and other influential figures, The Western Journal reported.
As he discussed concerns regarding artificial intelligence and espionage, Graham then moved the conversation into cybersecurity.
“My phone is in the hands of the FBI now,” Graham began. “So, I get a message, I think, from Schumer. It ain’t from Schumer. And the next thing you know, my phone is — I don’t know — anything you can create apparently can be hacked.”
Graham added that he did not know how long his device would be in the hands of the FBI. A spokeswoman for Graham confirmed the story.
“The Sergeant at Arms is investigating a possible hack of Senator Graham’s phone,” Taylor Reidy told NBC News.
A report about the incident from The Hill appeared to suggest that Schumer’s device was less than state-of-the-art in the first place.
“Chuck Schumer isn’t texting you from his flip phone,” a Democratic Senate aide said. “If you get a text message from Schumer, it probably isn’t real.” The person said Schumer uses an old flip phone made by LG that he has carried since before text messaging became popular.
Sparks flew on the floor of the U.S. Senate earlier this year between Graham and Independent Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema after the chamber failed to advance what had been a bipartisan immigration bill that fell apart after a majority of Republicans claimed it did not go far enough to secure the border.
As Graham spoke about his decision to vote ‘no’ on the bill that Sinema helped craft, she asked him at one point if he would yield to a question, to which he agreed.
Senator, I was just listening carefully to your speech, and you mentioned that you thought the bill that we had drafted and introduced yesterday was a good start but not enough. Yeah. I’m wondering if, if, you would remind us how you voted yesterday on the motion to proceed to the bill that had the border package that we worked on together?” the Arizona senator asked.
“I’ll be glad to. I voted no because I didn’t see a process in place or willingness by my Democratic colleagues to allow me to express. I think it could be better, see in the Gang of Eight. You weren’t here, but Sen. [John] McCain was; we worked really hard. Senator Bennett was involved in all this stuff in 2013, and we let the bill come to the floor, people amend it, and we spent days and weeks. So that’s why I voted, ‘No,’” Graham explained before Sinema interrupted to ask if he would allow another question.
“No, no, I, I am reclaiming my time,” Graham insisted.
“So here’s what I’m saying. This has been a half-assed effort to deal with border security for the people,” Graham continued as Sinema kept pressing for a question.
“No, I am speaking. Speak later,” Graham responded.
“To the people in the House, we have not really tried hard to secure the border. We took a well-meaning product. People worked really hard. I applaud you and others for coming out with a product that I thought had a lot of good things in it, but not enough for me,” the Republican said.
