Republican members of the Senate Armed Services Committee criticized the Pentagon nomination of Brenda Sue Fulton. Republicans highlighted how Fulton was involved in espousing anti-Republican and anti-Christianity remarks in the past.
GOP Lawmakers Slammed Fulton for Her anti-Republican Remarks
Several Republican lawmakers (including Senators Rick Scott, Dan Sullivan, Tom Cotton, and Josh Hawley) stated they could not confirm the appointment of Fulton as an assistant secretary of Defense for Human Resources and Reserve Affairs.
In the past, Fulton censured Republicans; this concerned the lawmakers she cannot do her job in a non-partisan manner. South Dakota’s Senator Mike Rounds noted the potential appointee called the GOP a “racist” party.
In 2018, she wrote the American political system is broken because one of the two major political parties cannot call out racism in the country.
This morning the Senate Armed Services Committee is considering Brenda “Sue” Fulton for Assistant Secretary for Manpower and Reserve Affairs.
This might not shock you: @suefulton is a radical authoritarian and an anti-Christian bigot.
— Jon Schweppe (@JonSchweppe) October 7, 2021
As the GOP holds the key for her appointment, Fulton is backtracking from her comments, as she apologized for her tweets. She claimed she wanted to portray the importance of ending racism in the country, an issue that no one should politicize.
However, while issuing an apology, she said it is always a wrong approach to target a whole group based on the actions of a few individuals.
Fulton Criticized Christianity in the Past, Making Her Candidacy Controversial
However, criticizing Republicans was not the only issue on which the GOP lawmakers scolded Fulton. Some Republican lawmakers lambasted her for her anti-evangelical tweets as well. Sen. Cotton said to Fulton most senators do not want her to get appointed, due to her controversial beliefs.
He further stated she would lead military chaplains after her appointment, and being an anti-Christian individual, she may not be the best fit for the job.
Cotton asked that other senators vote against Fulton so that a controversial figure may not get appointed to the all-important seat. Similarly, he also accused Fulton of having an offensive history against Bible-believing Christians.
Brenda Fulton has a long history of offensive, inflammatory accusations against Bible-believing Christians.
She is unfit to serve at the Department of Defense—particularly in a position that oversees military chaplains. pic.twitter.com/4uG81zjlrU
— Tom Cotton (@SenTomCotton) October 7, 2021
Senator Marsha Blackburn also hammered Fulton for one of her tweets which labeled the GOP as right-wing nutjobs and a pro-dictatorship party. When Blackburn inquired whether she considers Christians nutjobs, Fulton said no.
Another GOP member, Senator Rick Scott, said Fulton remains a callous and hateful person who lied massively in the past. Fulton defended her candidacy, saying she has worked with people of varying beliefs and she has a firm understanding of religious freedom.
Likewise, she also worked with some GOP lawmakers, including Steve Womack of Arkansas, which shows she believes in differing political ideologies.
Fulton is not the only appointee who came under the backlash of Republican lawmakers recently. In April, Colin Kahl, another Pentagon nominee, was also pushed in hot water by GOP senators over his controversial past tweets. However, Kahl was confirmed narrowly as Democrats teamed up to vote in his favor.
