Senator Rand Paul Confronts DHS Nominee in Heated Confirmation Hearing

What Happened?

Senator Rand Paul, a Republican from Kentucky, confronted Senator Markwayne Mullin, who is the nominee for the head of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), during a tense confirmation hearing this week.

Senator Paul opened his questioning of Senator Mullin by asking, ‘I wonder if someone who applauds political violence is the right choice to lead the Department of Homeland Security?’

Senator Mullin responded by saying, ‘I did not say I supported it, I said I understood it.’ By the end of the day, Senator Paul said he would not vote to confirm Senator Mullin as the new head of DHS. 

Why it Matters

The top position at DHS has been vacant since President Trump fired the former Secretary of DHS Kristi Noem. Soon after the firing, President Trump nominated Senator Mullin as her replacement, though neither Ms. Noem nor Mr. Mullin has any law enforcement or military experience. DHS is a security organization, and anyone without experience in law enforcement or the military would likely have trouble performing the role of secretary, as Ms. Noem did.

Several years ago, Senator Paul was assaulted by his neighbor and suffered several bruised ribs and other injuries. His neighbor was eventually convicted of assault. Senator Paul has also voted against the Trump Administration on occasion, which has earned him the ire of some of his fellow Republicans, including Senator Mullin. Senator Mullin once publicly referred to Senator Paul as ‘a freakin’ snake,’ comments which Senator Paul also addressed during the confirmation hearing. 

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As a cabinet-level post, the Secretary of DHS must be confirmed by the U.S. Senate because the Constitution stipulates such roles can only be filled ‘with the advice and consent’ of the Senate. Most nominees are approved, but the process can be a grueling one, and occasionally a nominee withdraws or is not confirmed.

Senators typically question nominees to determine their fitness for the role, so the confirmation process is similar to a job interview. In this case, Senator Mullin had a history of clashing with one of the interviewers, Senator Paul. 

DHS was created by President George W. Bush shortly after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The concept was to combine a host of federal intelligence and security organizations into one department in order to promote better information sharing and coordination among federal agencies.

Oftentimes, one federal agency may have information another agency needs, but the data doesn’t always get shared due to bureaucratic turf wars and red tape. DHS has had a mixed record since its inception, and some have called for its elimination on the grounds that it hasn’t really fulfilled its promise.

How it Affects You

Whether Senator Mullin has the votes to be confirmed remains to be seen, but based on the track record of the current administration, the odds are good that he will be confirmed by the Senate. DHS performs several critical functions, and the lack of leadership for such a large organization will only worsen problems the longer it lasts. 

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