In an appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union” Sunday, Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin brushed off media distractions to focus on what he called “political theater” surrounding a partial government shutdown and the weaponization of the Department of Justice.
The interview began with host Jake Tapper questioning the Senator on the DOJ’s failed attempt to indict six Democratic lawmakers. While some GOP colleagues expressed concern over the move, Mullin refused to take the bait, keeping his focus on his constitutional role.
“Well, Jake, it’s not the lane I walk in. I leave that to the DOJ,” Mullin said. “I’m not an attorney, don’t pretend to be an attorney. My branch of government is the legislative branch.”
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Mullin was quick to point out the double standard in how the DOJ has been managed, noting that the real concern for Americans should be the precedent set by previous administrations.
“I don’t think there’s even a question that the DOJ was weaponized against President Trump at this point. I mean, I don’t even think that’s a question,” Mullin argued.
The Oklahoma Senator then turned his attention to the ongoing DHS funding battle. He accused Democrats of stalling negotiations to create a crisis ahead of the State of the Union address. Mullin pointed out that since ICE and Border Patrol are already funded through 2028, the current shutdown is a targeted hit on other federal employees for the sake of a narrative.
“They’re not stopping the Border Patrol from doing their job,” said Mullin. “All this is a political theater because the State of the Union is coming up a week from Tuesday, because, if this was really a serious conversation, they wouldn’t be holding the TSA workers or FEMA or the Coast Guard hostage over something that cannot be done by the ridiculous shutdown of DHS.”
On the issue of potential compromises, Mullin expressed support for transparency through technology but drew a firm line at compromising the safety of federal agents.
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“Body cameras, 100 percent. There’s nothing wrong with that,” Mullin said. However, he flatly rejected exposing agents’ identities through public ID requirements. “As far as having a photo I.D. exposed, absolutely not. Why? It’s because the Democrats, we’ve seen, have been doxxing them.”
The conversation eventually touched on the friction between the President and Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt. Despite the “RINO” label recently directed at the Governor, Mullin remained a loyal mediator for his state and his party.
“Governor Stitt and I get along great,” Mullin said, noting that while the President is also a “very good friend,” he wouldn’t get in the middle of a personal disagreement. “The president is a very good friend of mine as well. Sometimes, friends disagree. And I’ll let them work that one out.”
Mullin concluded by emphasizing that the GOP remains focused on the rule of law and restoring faith in government institutions, despite what he characterized as constant distractions from the left.
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