Video claims Lindsey Graham paid men for sex
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The gist
A left-wing outlet released a video in which three men say Lindsey Graham paid them for sex.
Graham, who died in July, denied being gay; outlets say the claims are unverified.
Background
Lindsey Graham was a South Carolina Republican senator, a key ally of President Donald Trump, who died July 11 of an aortic dissection at 71. The Young Turks, a left-wing online news channel, released the 30-minute video "The CLOSETocracy" featuring three men describing paid encounters with Graham. For years rumors circulated about Graham's sexual orientation; he repeatedly denied being gay and opposed same-sex marriage during three decades in Congress, and the documentary contrasts his legislative record with the alleged private conduct.
How it unfolded
- 2001Kelvin alleges he met Graham at an Arizona property when he was 17 and was paid $120 for the encounter.
- 2012Jesse alleges a paid sexual encounter with Graham at The Beacon in Washington.
- 2014Jesse alleges a second paid sexual encounter with Graham at a Days Inn in Washington.
- 2015Cory alleges Graham paid him $1,500 for sex at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C.
- 2020Cory Burns's social media posts helped propel the "Lady G" allegations into public view.
- Jul 11, 2026Graham died suddenly of an aortic dissection at age 71.
- Oct 22, 2026The Young Turks released the 30-minute video "The CLOSETocracy" featuring three men making the allegations; Newsweek reported on it the same day.
- Oct 23, 2026The Independent reported the video had garnered millions of views since its release.
Who’s saying what
- Party
- Former Georgia congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene wrote on X that "We all knew Lindsey Graham was gay" and alleged politicians' secrets function as "levers of control."
- Party
- Turning Point USA spokesman Andrew Kolvet said "This is why we called him Lady Graham" and "No one cares," calling it not an October surprise.
- Caution
- The New York Times, The Independent, Newsweek and The Advocate each state they have not independently verified the men's identities or the details of their allegations.
Still unverified
The three men's identities and the veracity of their accounts have not been independently verified by The New York Times, The Independent, Newsweek, The Advocate or Hindustan Times; a website promoting the video purports to show travel receipts and documents from the time of the alleged encounters.