New Homeland Security Secretary just barely scraped by first round of nomination hearings – a Democrat betrayal made it possible

Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., just barely scraped through the first round of his confirmation journey to become President Trump’s next Department of Homeland Security (DHS) secretary. Fortunately for him, one Senate Democrat got him through what sounds like an explosive and, at times, pretty spicy hearing.

Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) was the sole Democrat on the panel to back Mullin, without whom Republicans would have faced a significant setback in their efforts to expedite Mullin’s confirmation. Per Fox News, Fetterman acknowledged his role as a potential difference-maker after the hearing, but said he came into the process with an open mind. Fetterman found his experience with Mullin to be “consistent and professional.”

This Democratic support was particularly crucial because a Republican, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who chairs the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, openly vowed not to support Mullin. Paul contended that Mullin was “unfit” for the role, citing Mullin’s refusal to apologize for a past comment where he allegedly said that an assault on Paul by a neighbor in 2017 was “justified.” 

Rand’s comments paint a hearing that would be better with popcorn

Paul argued that Mullin’s inability to apologize, coupled with a prior outburst during a hearing involving Teamsters President Sean O’Brien, demonstrated that he lacked the necessary mindset to lead DHS. Paul remarked that in a crisis, a “guy who brawls, a guy who can’t even say he’s sorry about wishing violence on me and really applauding the attack that happened on me” couldn’t, from his point of view, lead agencies like ICE or Border Patrol.

Mullin, for his part, directly addressed the criticisms during the hearing. He stated that if he had a problem with someone, he would tell them to their face. He also expressed his hope to prove to both Paul and the Senate Democrats on the panel that he was indeed the right pick for the job. Mullin promised to earn the job and not back down from a challenge. 

Mulling also committed to admitting when he’s wrong, saying, “I’m not perfect. I don’t claim to be perfect. I make mistakes just like anybody else. But mistakes, if you own them, you can learn from them and you can move ahead. And I’ll make that commitment to you.”

With the committee vote secured, Mullin’s confirmation now moves to the full Senate floor. He’ll only need a simple majority vote there to get the green light for the position. However, he’s likely to face more opposition from Senate Democrats who point to the ongoing fight over the DHS shutdown. On the Republican side, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., remains optimistic. 

So far, Mullin’s past relationship with a felon and the concerns about his stock portfolio haven’t really been a hurdle. However, as this proceeds, it’s going to be interesting to see how this plays out on the Senate floor.