Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R) denied that President Donald Trump attacked free speech rights in a recent Oval Office question and answer session when he complained to the press about negative news stories.

CNN’s Dana Bash played video of Trump saying Friday, “When somebody is given, 97% of the stories are bad about a person that’s no longer free speech, that’s no longer anything, that’s just cheating.”

“Senator, he really seems to be redefining free speech as speech that is only favorable to him,” Bash said. “I can’t imagine that you’re comfortable with that. As somebody who swore an oath to the Constitution and a pretty prominent part of the Constitution is the right to free speech.”

“He didn’t say ‘free speech,'” Mullin objected. “He said ‘cheating,’ and what he was referring to is elections.”

Bash visibly reacted to Mullin’s assertion and interjected, “No, that’s not what he was talking about!”

She continued, “It was a very long statement that he made. He was saying that he believes that the stories on network television about him are negative, and that that it should be potentially illegal. That is my question to you.”

Mullin continued to focus on the word “cheating” — leading Bash to change course.

“I guess my question is, if you just kind of take a step back, sir…Let’s just say you’re right, that when he said cheating, he, in his mind, was referring to elections. But…since the beginning of time in the United States of America, presidents have not liked the criticism that they got when they get coverage that they don’t believe is favorable to them…You don’t think there’s a slippery slope going on here with that?”

Mullin answered, “I’m just saying there is a problem and I agree with him. There is a problem.”

“Do  you believe in free speech?” Bash asked outright.

“Absolutely, I believe in free speech, without a question, I believe in free speech,” Mullin said. “But there’s a thin line between free speech and when it crosses a line and causes violence…But, hey, free speech is free speech. Hateful speech is also free speech. But when it leads to violence, now that’s a crossover and people should be held accountable for that.”

Watch the clip above via CNN.

The post ‘That’s Not What He’s Talking About!’ CNN’s Dana Bash Battles GOP Senator On Trump ‘Redefining Free Speech’ first appeared on Mediaite.

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