Paul questions Mullin’s character over response to attack by neighbor

WASHINGTON — Sen. Markwayne Mullin’s confirmation hearing began Wednesday with a bitter and fiery personal clash, as Sen. Rand Paul accused Mullin of having “anger issues” and questioned whether he had the temperament to lead the Department of Homeland Security.

Paul, R-Ky., who is the chair of the Senate’s homeland security committee, opened the hearing by blasting Mullin for calling Paul a “freaking snake” and for telling a group of constituents that he “understands completely” why Paul’s neighbor assaulted him in 2017.

“I was shocked that you would justify and celebrate this violent assault that caused me so much pain and my family so much pain,” Paul said. “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, R-Okla., acknowledged that he had said he “understood” the reason for the assault and did not apologize for his remarks. Instead, he accused Paul of smearing his character, claiming that the two men spoke about the attack against Paul when Mullin was serving in the House.

“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,” Mullin said. “If you recall back in your — back in my House days, we actually did have this conversation.”

The exchange, though highly personal, touched on a central debate about the Department of Homeland Security’s handling of immigration enforcement. Democrats in Congress have accused the department of fostering an environment of impunity for federal officers and encouraging improper uses of force against immigrants and protesters. They have refused to allow federal funding to flow to the department without new policies reining in officer conduct.

Republicans at the hearing responded that Democrats were punishing federal workers, many of whom recently missed their first full paycheck since the department’s funding lapsed on Feb. 14. Among those affected are airport security workers, who have called out of work in large numbers in previous shutdowns, causing travel delays.

Paul’s opening statement set the tone for a strikingly contentious hearing in a body that often prides itself on collegiality. Senators, who can usually draw on their relationships with their colleagues, often face an easier path to confirmation.

But Wednesday’s hearing displayed the risk of those personal ties, which threatened to overshadow Mullin’s views on immigration and his leadership abilities.

Paul accused Mullin of disparaging him behind his back. “You’ve never had the courage to look me in the eye and tell me that the assault was justified,” Paul said. “So today, you’ll have your chance.”

And Paul, a libertarian-leaning conservative who has raised concerns about federal immigration agents’ use of force, connected Mullin’s remarks to whether he had the right character to oversee immigration enforcement efforts.

Mullin criticized Paul for his political record, saying that it “seems like you fight Republicans more than you work with us.” But Paul did not relent. He pursed his lips as Mullin spoke, and he responded by berating Mullin and questioning whether he had a violent and angry character.

At one point, Paul accused Mullin of a “lack of contrition, no apology and no regrets.” Then, he broadened the scope of his inquiry beyond a personal dispute and played a clip of Mullin challenging the president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters to a physical fight during a 2023 hearing.

“Explain to the American public how a man who has no regrets about brawling in a Senate committee can set a proper example,” Paul said.

Mullin seemed prepared for the question. The Teamsters president, Sean O’Brien, was sitting behind him the hearing room.

“Sean is someone that has become a close friend,” Mullin said. “We talk all the time. I’ve been on his podcast. We talked through this.”

Then, he added a jab at his fellow senator. “That’s how you handle your differences,” he said. “Not like this.”

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.