Capitol courtroom or UFC octagon?
Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) came close to coming to blows Tuesday with Teamsters General Chairman Sean O’Brien, who has been bad-mouthing the lawmaker for months on social media.
Mullin began his comments during a testy Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing by reading a series of cruel tweets and other taunts from O’Brien, who challenged him to a fight earlier this year.
“Lord, this is the time, this is the place. You want to talk? We could be two consenting adults. We can finish it here,” Mullin said.
“OK, that’s good. Perfect,” O’Brien responded.
“Do you want to do it now?” Mullin asked.
“I’d love to do it right now,” O’Brien said.
“Get up,” Mullin demanded.
“Get your butt up,” O’Brien taunted.
The Oklahoma senator then stood up and prepared to fight.
Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) intervened before being asked to serve as referee.
“Sit down,” Sanders scolded Mullin. “You know you’re a United States senator.”
Mullin protested that O’Brien had wanted this and O’Brien tried to intervene, but Sanders would not have it.
“This is a hearing,” the Vermont socialist said.
Senator Markwayne Mullin told Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien to “get off his ass right now” during the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing.
Mullin and O’Brien have been feuding bitterly since at least March, when O’Brien punched Mullin, a plumbing company owner, during another contentious unionization hearing.
The Oklahoman accused the Teamsters of trying to intimidate their employees into unionizing and accused O’Brien of “sucking” money out of workers’ paychecks by “forcing them to pay dues.”
But the hostilities did not end there.
“Hey, JohnWayne Mullin… you should get your facts straight because every time you speak at these hearings you’re full of shit.” O’Brien published on June 21. “The more you talk, the more you show the American public what an idiot you are.”
Mullin and Sean O’Brien have been feuding since the Teamsters leader punched the senator during a contentious unionization hearing in March.
A few days later, O’Brien mocked Mullin again.
“Actually, just a clown and a fraud,” added O’Brien, tweeting under the provocative handle “Trucker son of a bitch.” “Always has been, always will be. Stop acting like the tough guy at these Senate hearings. You know where to find me. Anywhere, anytime, cowboy.”
“An attention-seeking Teamster union boss is trying to be forceful after our Senate hearing. Okay, I accept your challenge. MMA fighting for the charity of our choice.” Mullin later told O’Brien on Twitter.. “September 30 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I will give you three days to accept.”
That fight never came to fruition.
The Teamsters, with 1.2 million members, are among the largest unions on the planet, representing workers in the trucking, railroad, and publishing industries, among others.
Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders had to intervene to calm Mullin: “Sit down. “You know you’re a United States senator.”
Mullin previously said he would fight porn star Stormy Daniels’ disgraced former lawyer, Michael Avenatti, but that didn’t come through either.
Mullin was elected to the House in 2012 and ascended to the Senate after winning a special election to succeed retiring Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) last year.
There may be something in the water on Capitol Hill, as Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) accused former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) of elbowing him after a conference hearing of the Republican Party.
Categories: Trending
Source: vtt.edu.vn