In the Oklahoma Senate race to fill Sen. Jim Inhofe’s unexpired term, the leader in most polls, Rep. Markwayne Mullin, is avoiding state debates, but has talked to national media which of course cycles in state. However, what may likely not appear statewide is criticism from Micki Witthoeft, the mother Ashli Babbitt, who called out Republican Congressman Mullin for his comments defending the Capitol police officer who killed her daughter.
The Gateway Pundit published the criticism today (click here for original) writing, “In the midst of the Unselect Committee’s Misinformation Hearings that continue to plague America, Mullin came out in defense of Capitol Police Officer Michael Byrd. Byrd killed Witthoeft’s daughter Ashli Babbitt, an unarmed US Air Force veteran on January 6th in cold blood and without warning.
“According to a Newsweek article, Mullin broke from Trump’s condemnation of the officer and said “I actually gave him (Byrd) a hug and said, ‘Sir, you did what you had to do.'”
“Mullin spoke on C-Span for its January 6th “Views From the House” show where he firmly defended Byrd’s actions in choosing to shoot the petite woman point-blank as she was being lifted through a window.”
“If you’re going to present your weapon in a manner and give commands and they still don’t listen and they still approach, you don’t have a choice,” Mullin said. “Either you have to, at that point, discharge your weapon in a manner of self-defense or that weapon’s going to be taken away from you.”
“I am disgusted by Mullin’s insensitive distortion of the facts surrounding my daughter’s death,” said Witthoeft.
“Mullins comments are a gross distortion of the facts and a slap in the face to my family. There is nothing more painful for a parent than the death of a child. Mullin’s claim that Byrd “did what he had to do” is categorically false. Ashli posed no physical threat to anyone that day and was shot and killed in cold blood. NO VERBAL COMMAND OR WARNING WAS GIVEN. Congressman Mullin is spreading false information to the media and distorting the facts surrounding my daughter’s death, “ Babbitt’s mother continued.
Click here for more from The Gateway Pundit.
Meanwhile, back in Oklahoma: Mullin continues to pick up endorsements such as yesterday’s release from the Tulsa Firefighters Political Action Committee (Tulsa FirePAC) which represents more than 700 active and retired Tulsa Firefighters in Oklahoma.
“I have been fortunate to know Markwayne Mullin for years, and I am confident that he is the battle-tested conservative fighter we need in the U.S. Senate,” said Matt Lay, President of the Tulsa Fire Department and Chairman of Tulsa FirePAC.
“Battle-tested” may have not been the best choice of words by Mr. Lay.