After federal agents killed legal observer Renee Good and ICU nurse Alex Pretti while he was filming protests against I.C.E. in Minnesota in January, Oklahoma’s then-U.S. Senator supported claims that Good was a terrorist and labeled Pretti as a “deranged individual that came in to cause max damage.”
During his Senate confirmation hearing in front of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security, however, Mullin had a different tune.
“Could we expect those kinds of auick responses if you are confirmed as Secretary? Are we gonna expect that same behavior all over again,” Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) asked.
Mullin responded saying he had deep respect for his Democratic colleague. “Those words probably should’ve been retracted. I shouldn’t have said that, and Secretary, I wouldn’t. The investigation is ongoing. Like I said, sometimes I’m gonna make mistakes, and I’ll own it. I went out there too fast. I was responding immediately without the facts. That’s my fault. That won’t happen as secretary.”
Mullin’s comments led to Oklahoma protest
He stopped short of offering a public apology. “I haven’t seen the investigation. We’ll let the investigation go through, and if I’m proven wrong then I will absolutely,” Mullin said.
Even though Republicans control the Senate with 53 out of 100 seats, it remains unclear whether Mullin will be confirmed.
His past remarks blaming Good for her death led to nearly two hundred Oklahomans protesting outside his federal office in Tulsa. You can watch my recap of that protest below:
