U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) appeared on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures” with Maria Bartiromo to discuss recent developments in the Senate regarding the confirmation of presidential nominees and upcoming plans for a rules change in September.
During the interview, Mullin criticized Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer for his handling of President Trump’s bipartisan nominees. Mullin stated, “So, first of all, we have 61 nominees that have been voted out of the committee to report to the floor that’s got bipartisan support, and President Trump was very engaged for three days with myself and a few other members negotiating, really, the hostage release. I hate to say it that way, but that’s what it is because President Trump’s the first president in history not to be able to have one single nominee go through by UC, that’s unanimous consent, or by a voice vote.”
Mullin described efforts to resolve the situation: “So, we’re trying to break the logjam… And then they kept dropping the number of nominees to the point where President Trump, late last night, just said go pound sand. We’re not doing this anymore. He’s not going to hold the American taxpayer hostage for Chuck Schumer’s fear to stand up to his base, because that’s what it really is about. He can’t figure out how to sell this because he’s running scared of AOC running against him who could probably beat him in a Senate race in New York.”
The senator also commented on negotiations with Senate Democrats: “Well, they wanted something in return, and that is negotiating, right? You negotiate a little bit, but they kept changing their price because they never wanted a deal. Now, keep in mind, none of us wanted to work with the Biden administration but we all do feel like, regardless of who the president is, they have the right to put their people in place. And so, we held our nose in 2021 and actually struck a deal to be able to allow 44 bipartisan nominees to go through underneath the Biden administration. Unfortunately, we thought we was working like the senate is supposed to work.”
Mullin added further criticism regarding Democratic opposition: “What’s happened now, their hatred towards President Trump, their fear, literally, their fear of their base has kept them from being able to move forward at all. And so when I say by the price going up—they kept going. You had Elizabeth Warren, you had Brian Schatz, you had Cory Booker demanding them not to work with Republicans at all. Don’t work with this president. I mean my goodness—we saw the rant that Cory Booker had just this week against his own colleagues for working with us on a bipartisan manner. So Schumer kept demanding more because he knew that he would get to the point where we couldn’t accept it.”
Looking ahead at possible changes after August recess Mullin said: “And I’m proud of President Trump… I said sir I’m proud that you did this because we put them on notice and said we’re not going play games with you anymore. So now you’re forcing us to change Senate rules which honestly in the long run is the best thing. So soon as we get back through August we’re going be working on rules change. When we get back we’re going have implement those rules change.”
Comparing current circumstances with previous years Mullin remarked: “And I want compare difference between where were at in ’17 where we’re at today just because want show leadership effectiveness Leader Thune In 2017 only had 55 confirmed at same time and weren’t filibustering all them Because Thune made very clear can do hard way or easy way remember him saying beginning chose do hard way So Senate has stayed more consecutive days than have 15 years Taken more votes than have 35 years confirmed 131 people.”
Mullin also addressed demands related to National Institutes of Health funding: “He wanted to award these schools that have taken advantage of taxpayer dollars and these very liberal schools too and so he wanted high number for NIH money which was going be hard sell And think was straw broke camel’s back We’re like nope we’re done Sorry We’re walking away.”
The full interview is available online.
