While appearing alongside North Carolina Senate candidate Ted Budd on Friday, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) tried to portray donations to Cheri Beasley, Budd’s Democratic opponent, as suspicious, with Fox News host Sean Hannity playing right along. “She raised $13 million in the last quarter. Ted raised four. From October 1 to October 19, the last reporting period, she raised 5. Ted raised one-and-a-half,” Graham said before plugging Budd’s website. “I don’t know where all this money comes from, Sean.” “I was just going to ask you, Lindsey: this is every single state, every race—gubernatorial race, senatorial race. Where are they getting these tens of millions of dollars from? Has anybody looked into it?” Hannity replied conspiratorially, similar to how he doubted earlier this month that a single Wisconsinite had given to Sen. Ron Johnson’s opponent, Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes. “Well I sure will,” Graham answered dutifully. “I just don’t believe this is legit—on the up and up. But I do know this: that the money is real. Thirteen [million dollars] to four. [Budd] is being outraised 4 to 1.”
