CNN's Jake Tapper and Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) (Photos: Screen captures)
CNN's Jake Tapper wasn't allowing Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) to get away with c
Tapper began with a commentary about the unified Republican anger over President Donald Trump's effort to prosecute Democratic lawmakers who appeared in a video telling U.S. soldiers and intelligence staff they must refuse to follow orders that are unconstitutional.
A grand jury threw out the case, refusing to indict. Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) sued the Pentagon for demoting him and is on the pathway to another possible court win.
Mullin dodged, "Well, Jake, it's not the lane I walk in, I leave that to the DOJ. I'm not an attorney."
Tapper hit back, "I do have a tough time imagining, let's say if the [Joe] Biden administration had tried to prosecute Rand Paul for saying things about COVID that they didn't like, I have a tough time imagining you would say the same thing."
The lawmaker said he'd say the same thing because he's not familiar with the laws.
Mullin then pivoted to do exactly what Tapper asked about.
"What we don't want to happen is for the DOJ to be used for political leverage, which is what happened underneath the Biden administration, which is what happened when they went after Trump for a year after year after year," Mullin said.
He claimed that Trump and his administration are more focused on carrying out the law with its grand jury on the Democratic officials.
"Well, you just said you didn't want to weigh in, but then you accused the Biden DOJ of politicizing the DOJ. I mean, this DOJ is going after Trump's political opponents, [former FBI Director James] Comey, [New York Attorney General] Letitia James, people on the [Federal Reserve], two of your colleagues, [Sens. Mark[ Kelly and [Elissa] Slotkin (D-Mich.). I mean, you really don't think this DOJ is politicized?" Tapper hammered.
Mullin dodged, refusing to say yes or no, instead claiming again that the Biden Justice Department.