As Washington reels from the unexpected death of Sen. Lindsey Graham last weekend, his office on Friday released dates for expected memorials later this month, both in the nation’s capital and back in his home state of South Carolina.
Taylor Reidy, who served as the late senator’s communication director, said Graham’s “life and legacy” will be celebrated on Tuesday, July 28, in D.C. and the following day, Wednesday, July 29, in Columbia and Pickens County, S.C.
Graham died Saturday night at age 71 of an aortic dissection, according to preliminary findings by the D.C. medical examiner.
Additional details about the memorials are expected to be revealed later, but Sen. Tim Scott, Graham’s fellow South Carolinian in the chamber, told reporters Wednesday that it was his understanding efforts were being made for both a service at the National Cathedral and for the late senator to possibly lie in state at the Capitol.
“I think my understanding is that the offer has been made to lie in state,” Scott said at a press conference. “The process of figuring out when the National Cathedral would be made available at the exact same time that the global leaders who want to come and all the other national leaders who will be there has made it a little more difficult to get it done this week.”
The services for Graham, who was a long-standing foreign policy hawk, are expected to be heavily attended by world leaders and dignitaries, Scott said. That anticipated global attendance “complicated” holding the services this week, he continued.
Graham, who served in the Senate for 23 years, was known to jet around the world to meet and develop relationships with prime ministers and presidents, defense and foreign ministers, parliament members and ambassadors.
Scott called Graham perhaps the most “prolific person on the issue of foreign policy in the United States Senate.”
“Wet and water,” Scott said. “Lindsey Graham and foreign policy. Inseparable.”
John T. Bennett contributed to this report.
