Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma has single-handedly stalled a bipartisan effort to impose sanctions on Georgia, a move that’s sparked sharp criticism from congressional aides and democracy advocates.

As reported by The Hill, Mullin’s opposition to the Megobari Act, aimed at punishing officials of Georgia’s ruling Georgian Dream party for corruption and democratic backsliding, hinges on his belief that preserving U.S. ties with Tbilisi takes precedence.

While the bill sailed through the House and Senate Foreign Relations Committee with wide support, Mullin’s blockade reveals a deeper tension between punishing anti-democratic moves and maintaining geopolitical leverage in a volatile region.

Strategic Concerns or Misguided Loyalty?

In late August, Mullin persuaded Senate Majority Leader John Thune to remove the Megobari Act from the National Defense Authorization Act’s managers package, a last-minute maneuver that frustrated many on Capitol Hill.

Earlier this year, he also blocked a unanimous consent request to pass the legislation, despite its strong bipartisan backing, including a 349-42 House vote in May.

His actions stand in stark contrast to colleagues who see sanctions as a necessary stand against Georgia’s troubling alliances with Russia, China, and Iran, raising the question of whether his diplomacy-first approach risks enabling bad actors.

A Shift in Stance Sparks Suspicion

Five years ago, Mullin publicly slammed Georgian Dream for cozying up to hostile powers and obstructing American businesses like Conti Group and Frontera Resources with bureaucratic hurdles.

Now, citing a “better relationship” with Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, Mullin argues for working with Georgia’s leadership to counter Russian influence rather than slapping sanctions, a reversal that puzzles observers.

Democracy activists like Eka Gigauri of Transparency International Georgia find this shift baffling, stating it’s “not understandable” how anyone in the U.S. could indirectly support a regime sliding toward authoritarianism.

Georgia’s Troubling Drift from Democracy

Under Georgian Dream, the country has adopted Russian-style laws to suppress civil society, jailed political opponents, curbed independent media, and stalled its European Union ambitions, defying its own constitution.

Since the October 2024 parliamentary elections, widely condemned as neither free nor fair, daily protests have erupted, while ties with Moscow, Beijing, and Tehran deepen, including a Chinese-led consortium taking over a key Black Sea port project.

Mullin’s reluctance to endorse sanctions, even as Kobakhidze attends events alongside representatives of Iran’s terrorist proxies, suggests a disconnect from the alarming reality on the ground that many of his peers recognize.

Balancing Act or Blind Spot?

Mullin insists his stance isn’t swayed by past advocacy for U.S. firms like Frontera, which saw improved conditions after his 2020 pressure campaign, despite campaign donations from its founder totaling nearly $6,000.

He claims it’s about protecting any American investment abroad, yet his dismissal of international observers’ findings on Georgia’s elections as something he needs to “verify” himself hints at a stubborn refusal to heed broader evidence.

While he plans another visit to Georgia after his last in 2021, his critique of colleagues for lacking firsthand engagement feels like a dodge when figures like Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, who met Kobakhidze in August 2024, left “disappointed” by the prime minister’s unwillingness to mend U.S. ties.