A House Republican said it's "bullcrap" to think taxpayers pay for his salary because he's paid enough in taxes over the years to subsidize his salary.

Rep. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., said in a town hall Tuesday that he's paid for himself to be in Washington.

"You said you pay for me to do this. Bullcrap. I pay for myself," he said in a video taken by a constituent. "I pay enough taxes before I ever got there and continue to through my business. This is a service; no one pays me to go. I do it as an honor and a service."

Before coming to Congress, Mullin owned a plumbing company that was started by his family. It employs about 150 people.

Mullin added that he doesn't want to have a career in Congress.

"This is a service for me, not a career," he said. "And, I thank God it's not a career."

A spokeswoman for Mullin told the Tulsa World later that he aspires to be a career legislator, not a career politician.

"The congressman reiterates in the video that his work as the representative of the Second District of Oklahoma is a service," she said. "His aspiration is to be a career legislator and not a career politician. He is not, nor does he ever aspire to be, a career politician. His priority will always be to serve his constituents to the best of his ability."