(Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call via AP Images)
Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) dropped a rhetorical nuclear bomb on his colleague Rand Paul (R-KY), going so far as to say he understands why Paul’s neighbor attacked him back in 2017.
Veteran Oklahoma political reporter David Arnett detailed Mullin’s jab at Paul on his Substack Thursday, buried in a deep-dive profile on the Oklahoma senator.
Mullin was speaking at the McGrath Breakfast Group in Tulsa on Valentine’s Day and took questions from voters.
“The question is why did I vote to give illegals more money? I didn’t. The president made it very clear he wanted appropriation bills passed. If any amendment passes, it kills the whole bill. Rand Paul’s amendment sounds good, right? The problem is Rand knew that if that bill passed, it would kill the other eleven appropriation bills, which would throw us into the shutdown,” Mullin replied to the voter, adding:
Rand doesn’t ever vote with [Republicans] when it comes to appropriation bills. I had to vote against it because if that would have passed, not only would it have killed the bill, but it would also have killed the farm bill which is tied to social programs. If you change the ratio (about 70/30) you must redo the entire farm bill.
What Rand was trying to do was trying to kill the farm bill because he’s trying to legalize hemp for drinks in Kentucky because of tobacco industry shifts. There is always a backstory.
I respect Bernie Sanders because he’s an open socialist, and you know that he’s a communist so you know what you’re getting. Rand Paul’s a freaking snake. And I understand completely why his neighbor did what he did. And I told him that to his face. It stirred people up like Cheryl (Mullin’s wife), who don’t know the backstory. And then that night Rand sends out a fundraising letter on it. It’s a gimmick.
Paul, with his more libertarian leaning politics, has long been a thorn in the side of establishment Republicans, particularly on issues of national debt and foreign intervention.
Paul and his neighbor got into a scuffle in November 2017, which resulted in Paul suffering rib fractures and recurring pneumonia following the incident. Paul’s attacker was eventually sentenced to 30 days in jail and forced to pay Paul $582,834.82 in damages, following a civil suit. The fight was reportedly over Paul raking leaves near the dividing line between the two properties.
The post GOP Senator Goes Nuclear on Rand Paul: ‘I Understand Completely Why His Neighbor’ Attacked Him first appeared on Mediaite.