A huge loss occurred this weekend when Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) passed away from a “brief and sudden illness” at the age of 71. Many have already spoken out about this unexpected passing, with many passing along condolences and – surprise – some making jokes about his demise.
But there’s no joke when it comes to Graham’s determined devotion to law enforcement. Throughout his many years in tenure, he pushed for what was right with our police officers – even at a time when so many Democrats wanted nothing more than to pull the plug on their funding (like with that awful “defund the police” campaign).
Graham’s latest push actually came back in May, when he vowed strong support for men and women in uniform during National Police Week. He introduced the Medal of Sacrifice Act, which is a presidential award to posthumously honor officers and first responders who are killed in the line of duty. He also pushed for millions of dollars for funding for South Carolina law enforcement, something he’s done in the past for other areas.
The full list can be found here. But, bottom line, he truly believed in our officers to the very end.
“Throughout my time in the Senate, I have been unequivocal in my support for our nation’s law enforcement officers,” he stated at the time. “These heroic men and women risk their lives each day to keep our communities safe. As elected officials, we have an obligation to have their backs, not just in our words but by our actions.”
And that’s something a lot of politicians seem to forget. They can talk up a big game, but true action lies in the doing, just as I have with InVest USA over the past several years, providing bulletproof vests to officers in need.
But here are a few other feats that Graham was personally responsible for, and it shows just how much he cared for our men and women in blue.
- The Back the Blue Act – This was an introduction of legislation to strengthen criminal penalties for violent attacks against law enforcement officers and provide additional protective tools when needed. This is a vital one, not only because of the opposition by Democrats, but because of the lack of funds to provide said tools.
- COPS Grant Parity Act – Created processes that would make it easier for rural and low-income communities to access Department of Justice COPS hiring grants. As a result of this, agencies had a better opportunity for recruitment, retention, and, of course, providing the money necessary to keep officers. Again, this is a serious one that many local governments could learn from. You hear me, Zohran Mamdani?
- Logan’s Law – This one orders states to report the outcomes of all violent crime cases and plea bargains to the U.S. Attorney General. This was done in an effort to ensure that judges and Attorneys General alike were held accountable, rather than using their personal reasoning to decide a case. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen that in the past, so this was much needed.
I know I’m probably missing a few, but the good news is his official website keeps track of every single one of his actions. In fact, he was doing things right up until the week that he unexpectedly passed away, including a celebration of the passage of tax cuts and border security investments – especially at a time when we needed it the most.
Not everyone could see eye to eye with Lindsey Graham, and obviously, there are many who have formed an opinion about him without getting the entire story. But the fact of the matter is, he was devoted to our male and female police officers, just as I have been. He actually did more, and I’m in awe trying to keep track of it all.
RIP to a true crusader of justice for our law enforcement. Thank you for your efforts, Sen. Graham. They will certainly not be forgotten.
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