Senate Hearing on Verge of ‘Literal Brawl’ – Then Bernie Sanders Intervenes
A Social Media Feud Turns Physical on the Senate Floor
A long-running social media feud between Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma and a Teamsters union official nearly turned into a fight Tuesday on the Senate floor.
Oddly enough, order was only restored after an intervention from independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont.
Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien was addressing the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions when Mullin addressed him and made their personal beef all of the country’s business.
The men have clashed before. During a March hearing, a heated confrontation featured O’Brien telling the senator he was “out of line,” while Mullin told O’Brien to “you need to shut your mouth.”
Sanders had to intervene then as well.
On Monday, as Mullin addressed O’Brien, he read a June tweet from the union official that poked fun at Mullin’s height and that mockingly addressed him as “cowboy.”
“Greedy CEO who pretends like he’s self made,” O’Brien wrote about Mullin, whose plumbing company serves Northeast Oklahoma.
O’Brien also included a photo of Mullin standing on a box at a debate from last fall.
Greedy CEO who pretends like he’s self made. 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 pic.twitter.com/JNvT7IsA6m
— Sean M. O’Brien (@TeamsterSOB) June 21, 2023
“In reality, just a clown & fraud. Always has been, always will be,” O’Brien wrote. “Quit the tough guy act in these senate hearings. You know where to find me. Anyplace, Anytime cowboy.”
O’Brien used the tag, “#LittleManSyndrome.”
As Mullin, 46, read the tweet on Tuesday, the senator, mixed martial artist and former wrestler, told O’Brien, “I wish you were in the truck with me when I was building the company myself and my wife was running the office.”
“I sure remember working pretty hard and long hours,” Mullin added.
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Mullin then referred back to O’Brien’s tweet – specifically the line, “You know where to find me.”
“Sir, this is a time, this is a place,” Mullin said as he stared at O’Brien. “If you want to run your mouth, we can be two consenting adults, we can finish it here.”
O’Brien, 51, shot back, “OK, that’s fine. Perfect.”
Mullin responded, “You want to do it now?”
“I’d love to do it right now,” O’Brien said.
Mullin fired back, “Stand your butt up, then.”
O’Brien replied, “You stand your butt up.”
Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin @SenMullin just stood up and tried to fight labor leader Sean O’Brien @TeamsterSOB at a Senate Help Committee hearing after reading his tweet where O’Brien says he’d take him “any time, any place.” pic.twitter.com/8oiPSNZJV8
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) November 14, 2023
Mullin then rose from his chair and motioned as if he was going to take his wedding ring off.
Sanders, meanwhile, began to shout at both men and called for a de-escalation.
“No, hold up – stop it!” Sanders senator shouted. “Hold it, hold it – hold it!”
Order was restored to the hearing.
Ian Kullgren with Bloomberg shared additional details about the near-fight in the Senate, declaring that, “This is the most insane thing I have ever seen on Capitol Hill.”
“We’re not going to be talking about physical confrontation,” Sanders says
— Ian Kullgren (@IanKullgren) November 14, 2023
“You’re biggest thug here,” O’Brien tells Mullin
— Ian Kullgren (@IanKullgren) November 14, 2023
It was a close one, but looks like Sanders cooled things down. Committee has moved on to questions from other members.
— Ian Kullgren (@IanKullgren) November 14, 2023
Mullin entered the Senate this year after 10 years in the House of Representatives that included seeing the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol incursion first-hand. He is a member of Oklahoma’s Wrestling Hall of Fame and was undefeated as a professional MMA fighter, according to his Senate biography page.
The post Senate Hearing on Verge of ‘Literal Brawl’ - Then Bernie Sanders Intervenes appeared first on The Western Journal.
How did independent Sen. Bernie Sanders diffuse the altercation between Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin and Teamsters union official Sean O’Brien on the Senate floor?
“The Western Journal found itself in the midst of a heated debate as a social media feud between Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin and Teamsters union official Sean O’Brien spilled over onto the Senate floor. The altercation was ultimately diffused by independent Sen. Bernie Sanders, who intervened to restore order.
This is not the first clash between Mullin and O’Brien. During a previous hearing in March, tensions ran high with O’Brien accusing Mullin of crossing a line, to which Mullin replied that O’Brien needed to “shut [his] mouth.” Sanders had to intervene then as well, highlighting the recurring disputes between the two.
On Monday, Mullin brought up a tweet from June in which O’Brien mocked his height and referred to him as a “cowboy.” In the tweet, O’Brien labeled Mullin as a “greedy CEO” who is a “clown and fraud” and called on him to quit his tough act. Mullin retorted by recalling his hard work and long hours building his plumbing company with his wife.
The incident has raised questions about whether Mullin crossed a line during the Senate session, prompting a survey on The Western Journal website. As of now, 81% of participants believe Mullin was not out of line, while 19% think otherwise.
The social media feud turned physical incident underscores the increasingly heated environment surrounding political discussions, even on the Senate floor. It also highlights the importance of maintaining civil discourse and respect among elected officials. With tensions running high, it is necessary for leaders like Bernie Sanders to step in and restore order.
While social media platforms serve as a powerful tool for public discourse, it is essential for individuals to exercise restraint and engage in constructive dialogue, rather than resorting to personal attacks or confrontations. The incident on the Senate floor is a reminder of the need for politicians and representatives to lead by example and promote healthy and respectful political discussions.
As the debate rages on, it remains to be seen if the feud between Mullin and O’Brien will come to an end, or if further interventions will be necessary to maintain order and civility
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