A fight nearly broke out in the United States Senate.
During a hearing of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions on Tuesday, Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) read a tweet from Teamsters President Sean O’Brien that suggested he was a “fraud.”
“Greedy CEO who pretends like he’s self made. In reality, just a clown [and] fraud,” O’Brien wrote in June post, adding, “Always has been, always will be. Quit the tough guy act in these senate hearings. You know where to find me. Anyplace, Anytime cowboy.”
After reading the tweet, Mullin said, “I wish you was [sic] in the truck with me when I was building my plumbing company myself and my wife was running the office because I sure remember working pretty hard and long hours.”
“This is a time, this is a place. You want to run your mouth. We can be two consenting adults. We can finish it here,” Mullin said.
O’Brien responded, “OK, that’s fine, perfect.”
“You want to do it now?” the senator asked.
O’Brien said, “I’d love to do it right now.”
Watch the video below:
Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) challenges Teamsters leader Sean O’Brien to a physical fight, standing up midway through a Senate HELP Committee hearing.
— The Recount (@therecount) November 14, 2023
Chair Bernie Sanders (I-VT) repeatedly attempts to break them up: “You’re a United States senator.” pic.twitter.com/E4U624cDsS
Mullin appeared to accept the challenge as he told O’Brien, “Well, stand your butt up, then.”
“You stand your butt up,” the union leader shot back.
Mullin then stood, however, Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) ended the fight before it began as he told him, “Stop it. No, no. Sit down. Sit down! You’re a United States senator!”
Eventually, O’Brien asked if he could respond to Mullin, but Sanders shot that down, saying, “No, you can’t. This is a hearing and God knows the American people have enough contempt for Congress.”
The Oklahoma senator shot back, “I don’t like thugs and bullies.”
However, O’Brien quipped, “And I don’t like you ’cause you just described yourself.”
Speaking to CNN after the incident, Mullin said, “He called me out. I was just answering the call. Don’t say something you’re not going to back up. It’s that simple.”