Article snippet: Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle expressed increasing confidence on Sunday that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is culpable in the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, even as the president defended the young leader. "If he's gone forth and murdered this journalist, he's now crossed the line. And there has to be a punishment and a price paid for that," Sen MORE (R-N.C.) said on NBC when asked if the crown prince ordered the killing. Crown Prince Mohammed has faced growing scrutiny in recent weeks as Turkish investigators and U.S. lawmakers have attempted to piece together what happened to Khashoggi after he was last seen entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2. Turkish authorities reportedly have audio they say proves Khashoggi was killed and dismembered at the facility. While the crown prince and his father, King Salman, initially denied knowing what happened to the journalist and outspoken critic of Saudi leadership, the kingdom announced on Friday that Khashoggi died in a physical altercation gone awry, and that it had detained 18 people in connection with the incident. U.S. lawmakers balked at the explanation and have in recent days grown increasingly wary of the crown prince's leadership. They have noted that Mohammed has a history of lashing out at political opponents, such as when he detained other royals and prominent figures in Saudi Arabia last year to consolidate power under the guise of an anti-corruption campaign. Sen. good firs... Link to the full article to read more