A physical altercation involving a United States senator was narrowly avoided at a congressional hearing Tuesday.
Things got interesting when Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R) read a tweet from Teamsters boss Sean O’Brien, where the labor boss hinted at wishing for a fisticuffs showdown.
The two men have traded barbs online before, with Mullin challenging the union leader to an MMA fight for charity.
“If you want to run your mouth…we can finish it here,” Mullin said to the boss of America’s most notorious union, before telling him to “stand your butt up.”
“You stand your butt up, big guy” O’Brien replied with a strong Boston accent as the taunting escalated. Mullin did as he was told and began to take off his wedding ring, when Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), chairman of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Chairman, intervened.
The Democratic Socialist had to work overtime. Something the teamsters would know little about.
Despite his bluster, O’Brien was likely relieved as Mullin was an MMA fighter.
Per Fox News:
Both Mullin and O’Brien asked permission from Sanders to respond to each other after Mullin sat down, but Sanders denied their requests.
The two continued to go back and forth for several minutes.
“You challenged me to a cage match, acting like a 12-year-old,” O’Brien said after Mullin accused him of being “quiet” in the face of a challenge.
“Excuse me, hold it,” Sanders said, shouting over the Oklahoma senator. “Sen. Mullin, I have the mic.”
Slowly but surely, Sanders got more than a couple of words in after repeatedly pounding the gavel. “This is a hearing to discuss economic issues … we’re not here to talk about fights or anything else.”
READ NEXT: Biden’s War On Gun Dealers
