Lindsey Graham makes odd threat against Kamala Harris as he demands short impeachment trial

Mr Graham has on numerous occasions said that no witnesses should be called during the trial

South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham told Democratic lawmakers "Be careful what you wish for," after suggesting that if the impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump is drawn out, the focus should be shifted to Vice President Kamala Harris.

Mr Graham has on numerous occasions said that no witnesses should be called during the trial and if the Democrats call witnesses, Republicans will do the same. 

On Tuesday, speaking to Sean Hannity on Fox News, Mr Graham said: "If you're going to pursue this, and you wanna start calling witnesses, and you want to drag this thing out, it would be fair to have Kamala Harris' tape play where she bailed people out of jail. What more could you do to incite future violence, than to pay the bail of the people who broke up the shops and beat up the cops. How's that not inciting future violence? Be careful what you wish for my Democratic colleagues, be careful what you wish for."

What Mr Graham may be referring to is a 1 June 2020 tweet from then-Senator Harris where she encouraged people to “chip in now to the Minnesota Freedom Fund to help post bail for those protesting on the ground in Minnesota,” during the racial justice protests last summer. 

According to The Washington Post's “Fact Checker”, it was "wrong to suggest that the donations led to the release of many protesters or rioters".

Mr Graham has previously said on Fox News that "If there's an effort by the Democrats to call a single witness in the United States Senate… there will be delay of this trial, there will be a Pandora's box being opened. We will want witnesses and this thing will go on for weeks if not months".

Read more: Follow live updates on the Biden administration

The 65-year-old South Carolina Republican has also stated that if even one witness is called, "we’ll want the FBI to come in". 

This led to "Bring in the FBI" trending on Twitter as some of those who are in favour of Mr Trump's conviction argued it would only help their case to have the Bureau take part in the proceedings.

The votes of 67 Senators, including at least 17 Republicans, are required to convict Mr Trump. At this time, a conviction looks overwhelmingly unlikely.