Before either Apple CEO Tim Cook or Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer took the stand to testify on behalf of Apple to defend the company’s tax practices, Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky lashed out on Senator John McCain and Senator Carl Levin for the “spectacle of dragging in here executives from Apple using the brute force of government to bully a great success story.”

Senator Paul, a notable Tea Party leader and son of Representative Ron Paul, is often outspoken on issues of tax reform and made no effort to align for his Republican colleague Senator John McCain.

Chairman Levin didn’t hesitate to bring the narrative against Apple and its tax practices back to the center stage soon after Senator Paul’s comments.

“Apple has done more to enrich people’s lives than politicians will ever do,” Senator Paul voiced on Twitter after his monologue.

“If there is anyone to blame here it is not Apple, it is Congress and the tax code it created.”

Senator Paul cited Apple’s business with glass suppliers for its hardware in his home state of Kentucky.

Tim Cook and Peter Oppenheimer are both positioned to testify on behalf of Apple shortly, but you can read their prepared remarks that they published prior to today’s appearance. We don’t expect Apple will offer much deviation from its prepared remarks unless any unexpected questions prompt a notable response.

Follow along with C-SPAN’s coverage of Apple’s testimony here. Part 2 of Rand’s statement below:

If there is anyone to blame here it is not Apple, it is Congress and the tax code it created. — Dr. Rand Paul (@RandPaul) May 21, 2013

To US Senate: I say, instead of Apple executives, you should have brought in a giant mirror if you want to see who is responsible. — Dr. Rand Paul (@RandPaul) May 21, 2013

I am offended by the spectacle of dragging in here executives from Apple using the brute force of government to bully a great success story. — Dr. Rand Paul (@RandPaul) May 21, 2013

Instead of examining our broken tax system, the US Senate is about to harass Apple-one of the greatest business success stories in history. — Dr. Rand Paul (@RandPaul) May 21, 2013

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