A new documentary features three men who allege that the late Republican senator Lindsey Graham paid them for sex, presenting their accounts alongside his opposition to LGBTQ+ rights.
The CLOSETocracy, released on October 22 by The Young Turks and Swamp Watch Studios, is the subject of reporting by LGBTQ Nation and other outlets.
The allegations are not established facts, and B-Gay has not independently verified them.
What the Participants Allege
The roughly 30-minute film presents on-camera accounts from three men describing alleged paid sexual encounters with Graham.
Among them is Cory Burns, an adult performer known professionally as Sean Harding, whose social media posts drew attention to similar allegations in 2020.
Another participant, identified as Kelvin, says he was 17 at the time of an alleged encounter.
That claim introduces a serious allegation concerning someone who says he was under 18; it should not be treated as an established finding of misconduct.
The documentary itself is available through The Young Turks’ YouTube release.
What Has Been Verified?
The Advocate explicitly states that it has not independently verified the documentary’s allegations.
The publication contacted the office of Senator Darline Graham, his sister, and also sought comment from Burns; neither had responded at the time of its report.
Lindsey Graham, who died in July, publicly denied being gay during his lifetime.
That denial concerned his sexual orientation and should not be presented as a response to this newly released documentary.
The existence of on-camera testimony establishes that people have publicly made these claims; it does not by itself establish that the alleged events occurred.
The Public Record Behind the Debate
Graham’s legislative record can be examined separately through official sources.
The Senate’s November 29, 2022 roll call records his vote against passage of the Respect for Marriage Act.
The documentary’s participants point to the contrast between his public positions and the private conduct they allege.
For LGBTQ+ audiences, the public-interest question concerns the use of political power and the consequences of policies affecting their lives.
It does not require making assumptions about a person’s sexual orientation.
Sex workers deserve to have their accounts assessed seriously and respectfully, while readers deserve clarity about the evidence and its limits.
Careful scrutiny of the allegations and accurate reporting of the political record are both essential to understanding this story.
📷 US Senate
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