President Donald Trump’s pick to head the Department of Homeland Security advanced through committee Thursday thanks to one Democrat senator.
Oklahoma Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin’s nomination advanced through the Senate Homeland Security Committee after Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania crossed party lines and voted in favor of the nominee. Mullin’s confirmation was previously in jeopardy after the committee’s chairman, Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, vowed to vote against the nominee, citing concerns about his “temperament.”
‘Seems like you fight Republicans more than you work with us.’
“They’ve had to have known for weeks that I couldn’t be real happy about a guy that won’t apologize and thinks that my assault was perfectly understandable,” Paul said.
Without Paul’s support, Mullin was on the brink of failing the simple majority vote needed to pass through the committee. However, Fetterman joined seven Republicans on the committee to advance Mullin’s nomination to the Senate floor.
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Paul and Mullin sparred in Wednesday’s confirmation hearing after the chairman confronted the nominee over past comments he made about a violent assault Paul survived.
“You have never had the courage to look me in the eye and tell me that the assault was justified,” Paul said of Mullin’s comments following the 2017 assault that left him with broken ribs. Paul also claimed Mullin referred to him as a “freaking snake.”
Mullin pushed back on Paul’s claims in his opening statement, saying they addressed their differences when the Oklahoma senator was still in the House.
“I’m very blunt and direct to the point,” Mullin said. “And if I have something to say, I’ll say it directly to your face.”
“Seems like you fight Republicans more than you work with us,” Mullin added.
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Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Mullin’s nomination is now headed to the floor, where the Republican-controlled Senate is expected to confirm him with a simple majority.
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