Paul calls Mullin a "man with anger issues" in confirmation hearing

3 days ago 13

Senate Homeland Security Chairman Rand Paul fiercely criticized Senator Markwayne Mullin during his confirmation hearing on Wednesday, calling him a "man with choler issues" aft Mullin antecedently called Paul a "freaking snake" and that Mullin said helium understood wherefore a neighbour attacked Paul successful 2017.

Mullin is appearing earlier the Committee connected Homeland Security & Government Affairs aft President Trump nominated him to replace Kristi Noem arsenic the Secretary of Homeland Security. Mr. Trump said earlier successful March that Noem would permission the presumption astatine the extremity of the month.

During his opening remarks, Paul addressed governmental violence, recounting being attacked successful his yard. He described his injuries, including aggregate breached ribs and a damaged lung, and a long, achy betterment that felt similar "1,000 knives."

"I conscionable wonderment if idiosyncratic who applauds unit against their governmental opponents is the close idiosyncratic to pb an bureau that has struggled to judge limits to the due usage of force," Paul said.

He past accused Mullin of responding to a argumentation disagreement by attacking him personally and appearing to condone that violence.

"You told the media that I was a 'freaking snake' and that you wholly understood wherefore I had been assaulted," Paul said. "I was shocked that you would warrant and observe this convulsive battle that caused maine truthful overmuch symptom and my household truthful overmuch pain. ... You went connected to brag that you'd already told maine to my look that you wholly understood and approved of the assault."

Senate Holds Confirmation Hearing For DHS Secretary Nominee Markwayne Mullin

Paul said that Mullin had ne'er made specified a remark to his face, past challenged Mullin to clarify his past remarks.

"You've got a accidental today. You tin either proceed to prevarication oregon you tin close the record. You ne'er had the courageousness to look maine successful the oculus and archer maine that the battle was justified. So contiguous you'll person your chance," helium said. "Tell it to my face, if that's what you believe. Tell it to maine today. Tell the satellite wherefore you judge I deserved to beryllium assaulted from behind, person six ribs breached and a damaged lung."

He past said that Mullin should "explain to the American nationalist wherefore they should spot a antheral with choler issues to acceptable the due illustration for ICE and Border Patrol agents" and referenced an 2023 incidental wherever Mullin challenged Teamsters President Sean O'Brien to a carnal combat successful a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions committee hearing. At the time, Mullin taunted O'Brien to "stand (his) butt up" earlier committee president Sen. Bernie Sanders intervened. O'Brien and Mullin aboriginal became bully friends, and O'Brien was contiguous astatine the hearing.

"Explain however a antheral who has nary regrets astir brawling successful a Senate committee tin acceptable a due illustration for implicit 250,000 men and women who enactment astatine the Department of Homeland Security," Paul said.

In Mullin's opening remarks, helium addressed Paul's comments directly, but helium did not apologize.

"I said I could understand, due to the fact that of the behaviour you were having, that I tin recognize wherefore your neighbour did what helium did," Mullin said. "As acold arsenic my presumption and snake successful the grass, sir, I enactment astir this country to effort to hole problems. I worked with galore radical successful this room. Seems similar you combat Republicans much than you enactment with us. I did code those remarks. I did explicate your gimmicks by the amendment you enactment forth."

Mullin besides accused Paul of spending "millions of dollars successful my campaigns against me, due to the fact that we conscionable don't get along," but past said helium would acceptable speech "partisan bickering" to "earn the job" of Homeland Security Secretary.

During his archetypal circular of questioning, Paul doubled down, asking that the grounds amusement "a deficiency of contrition" from Mullin. He past said that portion it was 1 happening to acceptable speech "political differences," helium could not judge Mullin's "unrepentant" tone.

"When you accidental that you hold with a felon, a Trump hating felon who attacked maine somehow, you deliberation I'm conscionable going to acceptable that aside? 'Oh, it's nary large deal?'" Paul said. "You know, I laic successful symptom for 2 months, had six ribs broken, 3 of them separated, grinding upon bony connected bone, for months, had portion of my lung removed. And you deliberation that's great, and to beryllium extolled. I mean, the sheer deficiency of immoderate benignant of aforesaid consciousness that you're going to beryllium starring thousands of men and women."

Paul past played a video compilation of assertive remarks by Mullin, including his 2023 speech with O'Brien.

Further, a root acquainted with the proceedings confirmed to CBS News that Paul blocked Sen. Katie Britt, an Alabama Republican, from introducing Mullin astatine the confirmation hearing

Britt leads the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee connected Homeland Security and has been progressive successful negotiations implicit backing the department.

Britt confirmed that she was kept from introducing Mullin.

"I'm truly disappointed," she told reporters. "I asked evidently for the accidental to talk astir our workfellow and my beloved friend. I would've hoped that would've been thing the president would person allowed to happen. We did speak. He told maine that was not thing helium was going to fto maine do."

Britt said she volition alternatively taxable her remarks for the record.

Even if Paul votes against Mullin, Democratic committee subordinate John Fetterman has already said helium would enactment the nomination, truthful helium apt volition beforehand to the afloat Senate for a vote. A elemental bulk is needed to corroborate him.

Nikole Killion and Alan He contributed to this report.

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