An Oklahoma state senator and a union head sparred at a congressional listening to Tuesday, difficult one another to “stand on their ass” and struggle in an trade that Senate Labor Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders struggled to comprise.
“Sit!” Sanders shouted at Markwayne Mullen, the Republican who was standing on the rostrum subsequent to him. “You’re a United States Senator!”
Mullen, 46, described Sean O’Brien, president of the Truckers’ Union, as a “thug.”
O’Brien, 51, mentioned Mullen was appearing like a “schoolyard bully.”
Sanders, 82, hit him together with his hammer to no avail.
The confrontation started when Mullen learn a tweet despatched by O’Brien earlier this 12 months, after one other confrontation within the committee room.
Within the tweetO’Brien described Mullen as a “grasping (CEO) who pretends to be self-made. In truth, he is only a buffoon and a fraud. At all times has been, all the time shall be. Cease appearing powerful at Senate hearings. You understand the place to search out me. Anyplace, “Anytime cowboy. #littlemansyndrome.”
Earlier than coming into Congress, Mullen raised his cash Plumbing. He’s additionally a former Cage fighter Who in 2021 needed to reassure voters that he didn’t consider he was Rambo, after attempting to enter Afghanistan in the course of the US withdrawal.
In his preliminary response to O’Brien’s tweet, Mullen provided to struggle him for charity. At Tuesday’s listening to, Mullen completed studying the tweet, then instructed O’Brien: “You need to discuss angrily? We will be consenting adults, we are able to finish it right here.”
“Effectively, that is good, excellent,” O’Brien mentioned. I’d love to do this now.”
“Then stand your ass up,” Mullen mentioned.
“You stand your ass up,” O’Brien mentioned.
Mullen stood up astern – and commenced to advance.
Sanders moved and shouted: “No, no, sit down!” Sit! You’re a US Senator!
Mullen sat down.
The 2 males continued to struggle, and Sanders struck him together with his hammer.
O’Brien mentioned: Can I reply?
“No, you may’t,” Sanders mentioned. It is a listening to. God is aware of the American folks have sufficient contempt for Congress, let’s not make it worse.
Elsewhere on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, Republican Congressman Tim Burchett from Tennessee took a “clear shot within the kidneys” on the speaker he helped oust final month, Kevin McCarthy of California, as a reporter watched.
The Senate Labor Committee listening to continued to descend into chaos, with Mullen saying, “I do not like thugs and bullies.”
“I do not such as you, since you simply described your self,” O’Brien mentioned.
Sanders banged his gavel once more, motioning for Mullen to talk.
“Okay,” Mullen mentioned. “Let’s do that as a result of I challenged you and I accepted your problem. And I shut up.”
“I didn’t shut up,” O’Brien mentioned. She challenged me to a cage match, and I acted like a 12-year-old in a schoolyard.
Sanders intervened once more.
“When you’ve got questions on any financial points, or something, do it,” he added. “We’re not right here to speak about bodily abuse.”
Mullen mentioned he needed to “expose this serial killer for what he’s.”
“Do not level at me, that is disrespectful,” O’Brien mentioned.
“I do not care about your respect in any respect,” Mullen mentioned.
“I’ve no respect for you in any respect,” O’Brien mentioned.
Yelling, “Wait, no,” Sanders struck his hammer once more.
Overseas, public approval rankings for Congress and its members continued to rise Downward march.
