Congress descends into playground finger-pointing, bullying
On Tuesday, U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) and Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) reportedly participated in a pair of incidents akin to grade-school antics.
On Tuesday, U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) and Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) reportedly participated in a pair of incidents akin to grade-school antics.
During an interview with CNN’s Manu Raju, Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) accused the former House speaker of elbowing him in the back in a hallway at the U.S. Capitol. Burchett described the incident as a “clean shot to the kidneys” before the two supposedly chased each other through the halls. Burchett then called McCarthy a “bully” who would, “run home and hide behind his momma’s skirt.”
Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) tells CNN that Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) gave him “a clean shot to the kidneys,” saying he is the type of “bully” who would “run home and hide behind his momma’s skirt.” pic.twitter.com/4c7FaEu152
— Heartland Signal (@HeartlandSignal) November 14, 2023
Burchett joined seven other Republicans in early October in voting to oust McCarthy from his role as speaker after Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) introduced a motion to vacate the speakership. He claimed McCarthy elbowed him while he was speaking to NPR reporter Claudia Grisales, who later posted on X (formerly Twitter) about the incident backing up Burchett’s account.
Have NEVER seen this on Capitol Hill:
While talking to @RepTimBurchett after the GOP conference meeting, former @SpeakerMcCarthy walked by with his detail and McCarthy shoved Burchett. Burchett lunged towards me. I thought it was a joke, it was not. And a chase ensued…
— Claudia Grisales (@cgrisales) November 14, 2023
Grisales claims that Burchett ran after McCarthy and demanded to know why he was elbowed, to which McCarthy lied and said, “I didn’t elbow you in the back.”
A short time later, the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee held a hearing where Mullin continued his feud with Teamster President Sean O’Brien. This time, Mullin got out of his chair and threatened to fight while O’Brien taunted him.
Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) antagonizes Teamsters President Sean O’Brien and challenges him to a physical fight during a committee hearing:
MULLIN: “You wanna do it now?”
O’BRIEN: “I’d love to do it now.”
MULLIN: “Stand your butt up then.”
O’BRIEN: “You stand your butt up.” pic.twitter.com/x36VolHnfT
— Heartland Signal (@HeartlandSignal) November 14, 2023
In March, the pair also exchanged heated words when Mullin accused O’Brien of forcing union workers to pay dues. In June, Mullin — a former mixed martial arts fighter — challenged O’Brien to a cage match, which never came to fruition.
