Sen. Markwayne Mullin's, R-Okla., confirmation hearing to serve as Homeland Security secretary began with a tense exchange between him and Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky.

Paul pressed Mullin to account for his prior comments referring to Paul as a "snake in the grass" and saying that he "understood" why one of Paul's neighbors assaulted him.

"I think that everybody in this room knows that I'm very blunt," Mullin told Paul. "I simply addressed that-- I said I could understand, given the behavior you were having that I could understand why the neighbor did what he did."

"As far as my term snake in the grass sir, I work around this room to try to fix problems," he said. "Seems like you fight Republicans more than you work with us. I did address those remarks. I did explain your gimmicks and as far as me saying that I invoke violence, I don't. If I do have something to say, everybody in this room knows I'll say it straight to you."

Mullin then addressed Paul's spending in political campaigns against him, but said he would do his job evenhandedly.

"You've spent millions of dollars in my campaigns against me, because we just don't get along. However, sir, that doesn't keep me, at all, from doing my job," he added.

Ben Whedon is the Chief Political Correspondent at Just the News. Follow him on X.