‘That’s a Flat Out Lie!’ Secretary Mullin Brings Committee Hearing to a Halt After Hitting Back at Dem

A House hearing was brought to a brief halt on Wednesday as Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin accused a Democratic lawmaker of pushing a “flat out lie” against him.

Mullin appeared before the House Committee on Homeland Security. As a senator, Mullin was known for sometimes getting heated during hearings (even threatening to fight a union boss who later became a friend), and he hasn’t lost a step as DHS secretary.

Rep. Tim Kennedy (D-NY) said during his time that Mullin’s predecessor, Kristi Noem, ran DHS “straight into the ground,” and he accused Mullin of continuing that trend.

“Your predecessor is no longer here, she disgraced this department, and it seems like you are following right in her footsteps, under your leadership—” Kennedy began as Mullin jumped in.

“That is not true. Don’t accuse me of something that’s not true,” Mullin said.

Kennedy continued by accusing DHS of denying food and medical care to detainees as he and Mullin talked over each other.

“You can say all you want, but don’t accuse me of something that’s not accurate. You can sit there and tell lies all day long and all it is is a lie. That’s a flat-out lie, and you know it’s a flat lie. That’s a lie,” said Mullin.

Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-NY) stepped in to cool the temperature and lay out some ground rules for the hearing.

“Mr. Secretary, please. Everyone…we will continue to do this hearing like we have done the ones in the past. I am asking everyone, please, questions, answers. Do not attack each other’s characters. That is something that is a violation of House rules,” Garbarino said.

Kennedy protested by saying he wasn’t attacking the secretary’s character.

“I stated facts about the department,” he said.

“That is not a fact and you can’t point to a single fact that’s accurate,” Mullin said before Garbarino shut the exchange down.

Check out the exchange below:

TIM KENNEDY: Your predecessor, Kristi Noem, ran this department straight into the ground. Her conduct as secretary disgraced the brave career law enforcement officials who signed up to work at the Department of Homeland Security to protect their fellow citizens. Since you became secretary, what have you done to change the culture of your department and ensure the actions of all DHS officials are consistent with the Constitution and our values as Americans?

MARKWAYNE MULLIN: Underneath the previous administration, they took the teeth out from our law enforcement and DHS. My predecessor and myself, we’re enforcing the law of the land, not turning a blind eye to it. And that’s what Secretary [Alejandro] Mayorkas did. He turned a blind to it.

KENNEDY: Your predecessor is no longer here, she disgraced this department, and it seems like you are following right in her footsteps, under your leadership —

MULLIN: That is not true. Don’t accuse me of something that’s not true.

KENNEDY: DHS has left [inaudible] without food or medical care.

MULLIN: You can say all you want, but don’t accuse me of something that’s not accurate. You can sit there and tell lies all day long and all it is is a lie. That’s a flat-out lie, and you know it’s a flat lie. That’s a lie.

ANDREW GARBARINO: Gentleman’s time has expired.

MULLIN: You know that’s a lie. That’s a lie. You know it’s a lie.

GARBARINO: Mr. Secretary, please. Everyone…we will continue to do this hearing like we have done the ones in the past. I am asking everyone, please, questions, answers. Do not attack each other’s characters. That is something that is a violation of House rules. So no attacking the secretary’s character—

KENNEDY: I did not attack his character, Mr. Chairman.

GARBARINO: I’m just saying. The statement is for everyone.

KENNEDY: I stated facts about the department.

MULLIN: That is not a fact and you can’t point to a single fact that’s accurate.

Watch above via CSPAN.

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