McCarthy Accused of Elbowing Lawmaker, GOP Senator Nearly Comes to Blows with Witness in Tense Capitol Scenes

Republican representative Tim Burchett accused former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy of forcefully elbowing him on Capitol Hill Tuesday, while in a nearby chamber a Republican senator nearly came to blows with a progressive hearing witness.

After a GOP conference meeting Tuesday, McCarthy allegedly shoved Burchett while he was talking to a reporter with his back turned. The disgruntled congressman then ran after the aggressor in a huff, yelling fighting words, after becoming convinced he was hit on purpose, NPR reported.

On Tuesday afternoon, Gaetz filed an ethics complaint against McCarthy, claiming that he “assaulted” Burchett.

“This incident deserves immediate and swift investigation by the Ethics Committee,” the Florida lawmaker wrote in a statement. “This Congress has seen a substantial increase in breaches of decorum unlike anything we have seen since the pre-Civil War era.” Gaetz said he himself has been the “victim of outrageous conduct on the House floor.”

“The rot starts at the top,” he added.

McCarthy was walking with his security detail when he targeted Burchett from behind, according to NPR. Burchett first thought it was a joke or an accident. But then he erupted, “Why’d you elbow me in the back Kevin?! Hey Kevin, you got any guts!?”

A moment went by before Burchett took off to confront McCarthy, who denied having elbowed his colleague. Burchett then accused McCarthy of pulling a “chicken move” and called him “pathetic.”

“I was doing an interview with Claudia from NPR . . . I got elbowed in the back and it caught me off guard because it was a clean shot to the kidneys,” Burchett told CNN on the Capitol Hill steps Tuesday afternoon. “I turned back and there was Kevin. For a minute I was like, ‘what the heck just happened?,’ and then I chased after him.”

“Of course, he’s a bully with 17 million dollars and a security detail,” the Tennessee lawmaker said. “He’s the type of guy that, when you’re a kid would throw a rock over the fence and run home and hide under his mama’s skirt. That’s not the way we handle things in Tennessee. If we have a problem with somebody, I’m going to look him in the eye.”

The congressmen hadn’t spoken since Burchett voted for McCarthy’s ouster as speaker last month, he told NPR. Relations between McCarthy and those who opposed his leadership have soured considerably since October. Gaetz, who spearheaded the effort to remove McCarthy over his alleged reneging on promises to the GOP Freedom Caucus, still appears to harbor animosity towards his rival.

In his ethics complaint, Gaetz cited Congress’ binding Code of Official Conduct, the first rule of which states that “A member…shall behave at all times in a manner that shall reflect credibility on the House.” Gaetz urged an investigation that would interview the assailed, the assailant, and any witnesses.

Civility was also lacking on Tuesday in the Senate. At a Health Education Labor and Pension Committee hearing, Senator Markwayne Mullin (R., Okla.) responded to Teamster leader Sean O’Brien’s previous provocation by standing up and implying that he was prepared to fight. After reading a tweet in which the union official suggested he’d fight Mullin “any time, any place,” Mullin challenged O’Brien, saying “stand your butt up then.”

“Sir, this is a time, this is a place,” Mullen told O’Brien. “You want to run your mouth, we can be two consenting adults, we can finish it here.”

“Okay, that’s fine,” O’Brien replied.

“Now?” Mullen asked.

“I’d love to do it right now,” O’Brien said.

“Well stand your butt up then,” Mullen shot back.

“You stand your butt up,” O’Brien said. Mullen then stood up, seemingly prepared to fight.

Democratic Senator Bernie Sanders then intervened to call for decorum.

“You’re a United States senator,” Sanders reprimanded Mullin.