Mullin’s Confirmation Hearing Hits Snag Over Alleged “Classified” Work
During a pivotal confirmation hearing for Senator Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma, a significant point of contention emerged regarding his qualifications and past experiences. Democratic Senator Gary Peters of Michigan raised serious questions about Mullin’s claims of engaging in “classified” work with the Department of Defense under a missionary program in Afghanistan, suggesting a potential discrepancy in his submitted credentials.
Peters highlighted that Mullin had stated his special assignments occurred intermittently between 2006 and 2011. However, Peters indicated that the provided documentation did not explicitly exclude official travel and contained specific instructions for handling classified information. Despite these provisions, Mullin had not submitted any details pertaining to classified activities. The hearing revealed that Mullin was only now, for the first time, speaking about classified activities purportedly undertaken between 2015 and 2016.
“Frankly, as we have these conversations, you have not been forthcoming with me and the committee,” Peters stated, expressing concern over Mullin’s candour. “The story always seems to kind of change.” He emphasised the critical importance of candour, honesty, and transparency when seeking to build trust, particularly for a role as significant as Secretary of Homeland Security. “We have to clear this up. We feel pretty strongly we have to understand exactly what this is,” Peters added.
To address these concerns, Peters proposed using a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF), a secure location where classified information can be discussed and reviewed. “We’ve checked, and the SCIF is available,” Peters confirmed. “We would love to have you come into the SCIF and tell us exactly what you are talking about. That will put my colleagues’ minds at peace. Would you be willing to tell us the classified activities you are talking about?” he inquired.
Mullin, however, declined the offer. He asserted that the committee’s provided paperwork indicated he was not required to disclose his official travel. “Sir, I think this committee made it clear with the paperwork they give me that I do not have to disclose my official travel. That was part of the documents,” Mullin responded. He maintained that his volunteer missionary work and mentorship were conducted on his own time and were separate from official duties. Mullin reiterated that the instructions specifically stated he did not have to claim official travel.
This stance created a perceived conflict, as Mullin had previously described one of his trips to Afghanistan as “an official trip that is classified.” The ambiguity between what constituted “missionary” work and what was considered “official” or “classified” remained a significant hurdle.
Investigations and Discrepancies
Further complicating matters, Senator Peters revealed that he had contacted the FBI to inquire about any potential classified documents related to Mullin. “I asked the FBI yesterday and said, ‘If someone had appeared in any classified document, any document, would that be in this report?’ And they said, ‘Yes.’ And I said, ‘I do not see anything for Sen. Mullin, why is that?’ They said, ‘Nothing showed up.'” Peters also confirmed querying the Department of State, the Department of Defense, and other intelligence agencies. “So, you are in no classified document the federal government has, according to the FBI. And yet you are telling us you did all this classified work,” Peters concluded.
Mullin attempted to clarify his statement, arguing, “Sir, I didn’t say ‘all.'” He insisted that he had followed all instructions and reiterated that the trips were “official travel” and “classified trips.”
Another Senator, Paul, also weighed in, stating he had made a similar inquiry to the FBI. According to Paul, the FBI indicated that Mullin would have a “separate folder.” This led to further confusion, as Paul noted, “So, it’s confusing to us because there may have been some papers that said your official trips were excluded.”
Paul expressed his willingness to postpone the vote if necessary to resolve the issue. “I can cancel the vote tomorrow,” Paul stated. “I’m willing to have the vote, get this done and get it over with. Just to make clear — it does not sound like it is a secret you are too concerned about divulging.” He suggested that a brief, private discussion would suffice. “If you would spend one hour or 30 minutes and just tell the ranking member and the others, it would be private. It would get this over with,” Paul proposed.
Mullin indicated a willingness to proceed with the discussion, provided the senators involved could be “cleared” for classified information. However, Paul countered that the responsibility for identifying who should be present and ensuring their clearance lay with Mullin. Paul ultimately reiterated that the matter was one that could and should be discussed.
Mullin maintained that he lacked the authority to release the information. He even declined to identify who assigned him to the program within the Senate, citing that information as classified. This ongoing lack of transparency left several senators with significant reservations about Mullin’s suitability for the role.
