Decision to Advance Markwayne Mullin’s DHS Nomination Is Inappropriate and Wrong
WASHINGTON, D.C. — This morning, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee voted to advance Senator Markwayne Mullin’s nomination to lead DHS.
Lisa Gilbert, co-president of Public Citizen, issued the following statement in response:
“Moving Senator Markwayne Mullin out of committee and one step closer to the helm of the Department of Homeland Security is simply inappropriate.
“It is inappropriate because of his self-enrichment. Mullin’s long list of conflicts of interest even as he seeks this next level of public office is reprehensible.
“It is inappropriate because Mullin has consistently defended ICE agents involved in fatal shootings and justified the use of lethal force in enforcement operations, rather than calling for accountability or reform of use-of-force policies.
“It is inappropriate because he treats protest against ICE operations as a prosecutable offense rather than a legitimate exercise of First Amendment rights and an expression of community concern. Mullin’s nomination must not proceed once it hits the Senate floor.”