Reprinted with permission from Alternet

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) just faced his greatest fight for re-election againt a top Democratic challenger. He won that battle and kept his seat on Election Day, but the chairman of the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee is now facing a controversy so dangerous he could lose it.

"The allegation that the Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee pressured the Georgia Secretary of State to throw out lawfully cast votes describes conduct that threatens the foundation of our republic by one of the government's most senior officials," says Walter Shaub, the former director of the United States Office of Government Ethics. "It must be investigated."

On Monday Georgia's Secretary of State accused Chairman Graham of pressuring him to throw out all ballots from certain counties. Graham denies he pressured Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger but the Republican elections official told The Washington Post he was "stunned" when it happened.

Shaub adds that Graham's actions were "inherently coercive."

And he calls Graham's response "a damning admission."

And he calls Graham's response a "damning admission."