.MaddowBlog: Pres. Trump briefed Sen. Graham on airstrike, but kept Democrats in the dark.
It’s called the Gang of Eight. On matters of highly sensitive intelligence, eight congressional leaders – the top two members from each chamber and the Intelligence Committees – are supposed to receive special briefings and notifications, which are shared with no other lawmakers.
For example, ahead of a U.S. airstrike targeting and killing Qassim Suleimani, a commander of Iran’s military forces in the Middle East, one might expect the executive branch to notify the Gang of Eight. This week, according to Democratic members of the group, that did not happen. While House Speaker Nancy Pelosi rails against President Donald Trump for approving a fatal attack on Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani without consulting Congress, Sen. Lindsey Graham said that he got a special early briefing while golfing with Trump in Florida.
Graham was spotted golfing with Trump earlier this week at the President’s West Palm Beach golf club.
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