Video by left-wing group claims Lindsey Graham paid men for sex. Some Republicans say his sexuality was ‘open secret’

Video by left-wing group claims Lindsey Graham paid men for sex. Some Republicans say his sexuality was ‘open secret’ Former Georgia congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene alleged on X that politicians’ secrets function as ‘levers of control’ that keep them ‘in line’ - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments Become an Independent member to bookmark this article Already a member? Log in A video released by a controversial left-wing group contains allegations that Lindsey Graham paid men for sex, prompting several Republicans to announce publicly that the late Republican senator’s sexuality was an open secret. Released online Thursday by the The Young Turks, the 30-minute video includes interviews with three men who said that while working as escorts Graham paid them for sexual encounters between 2001 and 2015. One alleged he was 17 at the time. Graham, an influential GOP senator from South Carolina and key ally of President Donald Trump, died suddenly July 11 of an aortic dissection. He was 71. A lifelong bachelor, Graham denied being gay and opposed same-sex marriage during his three decades in Congress. A prominent foreign policy hawk, Graham was a staunch advocate of U.S. support for Ukraine and Israel. His sister, Darline Graham, was appointed to fill his Senate seat after his death, and is now seeking a full term in a tight race against Democrat Annie Andrews. The Independent has contacted Darline Graham’s office and the White House for comment. The video, titled “The CLOSETocracy” and touted by The Young Turks co-founder Cenk Uygur as a “bombshell documentary,” has garnered millions of views since its release Thursday. In it, a man identified as Cory alleged that Graham paid him $1,500 for sex at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C., in 2015. Cory said the late senator expressed an interest in “dom/sub play” and being “degraded,” then laid a stack of cash on the bed afterward. A second man, identified as Jesse, said Graham paid him a total of $510 for two sexual encounters at Washington hotels in 2012 and 2014. A third man, identified as Kelvin, said he met Graham at an Arizona house in 2001, when he was 17. He said Graham doubted he was 18 and grew frustrated, demanding proof of his age. Kelvin said he assured Graham he was of age before they engaged in sexual activity, which he alleged was recorded by a nearby camera. He described the room as resembling a film set “for very extreme porn.” The Independent has not independently verified the three men’s identities or the details of their allegations. The video was interlaced with news footage of, and statements from, Graham denying that he was gay and staking out his opposition to same-sex marriage. “I know it’s really gonna upset a lot of gay men — I’m sure hundreds of ’em are gonna be jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge — but I ain’t available,” Graham told The New York Times in 2010. “I ain’t gay. Sorry.” In 2015, after the Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples have the constitutional right to marriage, Graham said: “I am a proud defender of traditional marriage and believe the people of each state should have the right to determine their marriage laws.” Following the video’s release, several Republicans claimed that political insiders had long been aware of Graham’s alleged homosexuality — and that it is of little consequence now. “The worst kept secret in Washington DC came out today because 3 brave men came out and told the truth and it doesn’t matter if it is after he’s dead,” former Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene wrote on X. “We all knew Lindsey Graham was gay. Everyone did,” she wrote. She then alleged that politicians’ secrets function as “levers of control” that keep them “in line.” Andrew Kolvet, spokesperson for Turning Point USA, a conservative non-profit founded by the late Charlie Kirk, made similar claims. “Everyone knew Lindsey Graham was gay, yes,” he wrote on X. “And since he didn't acknowledge this publicly, we assumed he was invested in keeping it private.” He characterized The Young Turks’ video as a “nothing burger of an October Surprise.” The Young Turks, a progressive news and political commentary platform, has previously faced accusations from conservative critics that it spreads falsehoods. Rep. William Timmons, a South Carolina Republican, denounced the allegations against Graham as “disgraceful lies.” “Lindsey Graham was my friend and mentor,” Timmons wrote on X. “After 45 years of service to South Carolina and our country, he deserves better than the Left spreading disgraceful lies about a man who is no longer here to defend himself.” He also predicted that the allegations would not hurt Darline Graham’s election prospects, claiming she would win handily. Darline Graham — who has said she believes carrying on her late brother’s legacy is God’s plan for her — is locked in a tight race with Andrews, polls show. There are less than two weeks until Election Day. Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments