A Senate committee hearing took an intense turn on Tuesday as Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma and Teamsters President Sean O’Brien engaged in a heated exchange. The confrontation began after Mullin read a tweet in which O’Brien challenged him to a physical altercation “any time” or “any place.” Mullin, a former MMA fighter, responded by standing up and threatening to fight O’Brien, who expressed a willingness to engage in the confrontation.
Committee chairman Sen. Bernie Sanders attempted to defuse the situation, urging both senators to sit down and emphasizing that the hearing was not the appropriate forum for physical altercations. Despite Sanders’ efforts, the exchange continued, with both Mullin and O’Brien trading insults and accusations. Mullin called O’Brien a “thug,” leading to further verbal sparring.
The contentious history between O’Brien and Mullin dates back to a March hearing, where they clashed over O’Brien’s salary compared to that of union members. Sanders had to intervene at that time as well.
During Tuesday’s hearing, despite Sanders’ attempts to refocus on economic issues, the verbal exchange persisted until the committee moved on to other topics. The incident highlighted the growing tensions between political figures in a charged political climate.
Fox News Digital reached out to the offices of Mullin and Sanders, as well as the Teamsters, for comments but did not receive an immediate response. The incident underscores the challenges of maintaining decorum in political discussions and the potential for heated confrontations even in official committee settings.
🔥Red-hot tempers flare on the Senate floor! GOP Sen. Markwayne Mullin and Teamster President Sean O’Brien almost end up trading blows! A verbal spat spirals out of control – Sanders forced to intervene. 🤡 Video here 👇 #senatordrama
Source: Forbes pic.twitter.com/67z2N9rne1— WorldWideWatch (@xplorelevate) November 14, 2023
