A fight nearly broke out during a Senate hearing Tuesday morning between a Republican senator and a union leader over remarks that the union leader made online toward the senator.
Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) confronted Sean O’Brien, president of the Teamsters union, during a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing.
The confrontation was sparked by a post that O’Brien made about Mullin on X in which he mocked the senator’s height and called him a “fraud.”
“Greedy CEO who pretends like he’s self made,” O’Brien wrte. “In reality, just a clown & fraud. Always has been, always will be. Quit the tough guy act in these senate hearings. You know where to find me. Anyplace, Anytime cowboy. #LittleManSyndrome[.]”
Mullin read O’Brien’s post in front of the Committee and noted that after the last time the two had a confrontation in front of the Committee, O’Brien “got pretty excited about the keyboard” and proceeded to attack Mullin numerous times online.
“Sir, I wish you were 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,” Mullin said.
After finishing reading the post, Mullin said, “Sir, 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.”
“Okay, that’s fine,” O’Brien responded. “Perfect.”
“You want to do it now?” Mullin asked.
“I’d love to do it right now,” O’Brien said.
Mullin told O’Brien to stand his “butt up then.”
“You stand your butt up,” O’Brien said, prompting Mullin to jump up out of his chair.
Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-VT) yelled at both of them, especially Mullin.
“Oh, my god. Oh, stop it,” Sanders said. “Sit down. You’re a United States Senator.”
“Hold it! This is a hearing,” he added. “And God knows the American people have enough contempt for Congress, let’s not make it worse.”
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