Sen. Markwayne Mullin’s (R-Okla.) path to becoming the next Secretary of Homeland Security cleared a critical hurdle Thursday when the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee voted to advance his nomination to the full Senate floor. To say it was a close vote is an understatement. In fact, Mullin would not have made it out of committee had it not been for Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.).
Why? Because Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) voted against advancing Mullins’ nomination, which was pretty obvious after Wednesday’s hearing.
As PJ Media previously reported, what should have been a routine confirmation hearing instead turned into a personal showdown after Paul used his chairman’s perch to air a long‑running grievance against Mullin over the infamous 2017 attack by Paul’s neighbor.
Paul first signaled that this would be no ordinary proceeding by refusing to let Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) deliver the traditional warm‑up introduction, a move one senior Republican blasted as the act of a “seething snake” and “hopeless hypocrite.”
He then launched into a detailed recounting of the assault that left him with broken ribs and a damaged lung, accusing Mullin of having told the media that he “completely understood” why the neighbor snapped and had called Paul a “freaking snake” for pushing to cut welfare for refugees. Paul demanded that Mullin repeat those words to his face and explain why he supposedly believed that Paul “deserved” to be blindsided and beaten, pointedly questioning whether someone who appears to excuse political violence should be trusted to run an agency already under fire for abuses of power.
“Instead of explaining your vote to continue these welfare programs for refugees, you decide to transfer the blame. You told the media that I was a ‘freaking snake’ and that you completely understood why I had been assaulted,” Paul said in his opening remarks. “I was shocked it would justify and celebrate this violent assault that caused me so much pain and my family so much pain.”
He added, “I just wonder if someone who applauds violence against their political opponents is the right person to lead an agency that has struggled to accept limits to the proper use of force.”
Mullin rejected the charge, saying he is blunt but not a liar, insisting they had discussed the issue in the House, and claiming he merely said he could “understand” the neighbor’s anger given Paul’s behavior while still opposing surprise attacks and denying he ever endorsed violence.
“I have to address the remarks the chairman made, calling me a liar. Sir, I think everybody in this room knows that I’m very blunt and direct to the point, and if I have something to say, I’ll say it directly to your face. If you recall back in my House days, we actually did have this conversation,” he said. “I simply addressed that. I said I could understand, because of the behavior you were having, that I can understand why your neighbor did what he did. As far as my terms ‘snake in the grass,’ sir, I work around this room to try to fix problems. I’ve worked with many people in this room. Seems like you fight Republicans more than you work with us.”
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“And as far as me saying that I invoke violence — I don’t think anybody should be hit by surprise. I don’t like that. But if I do have something to say, everybody in this room knows,” Mullin continued. “I’ll come straight to you, I’ll say it publicly, and I’ll say it privately, but I’ll never say it behind your back. So for you to say I’m a liar, sir, that’s not accurate.”
Fetterman realized that he would be the deciding vote after the hearing.
“I came here and committed to come here with an open mind, and I’m going to continue to do that,” Fetterman said. “It’s not going to be about gotcha moments for me. My experience with you has been consistent and professional.”
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