--- title: Mullin, O'Brien and McCarthy, Burchett Almost Fight in Two Incidents on Capitol description: The U.S. Capitol witnessed not one but two near-physical altercations involving Reps. Burchett and McCarthy as well as Sen. Mullin and a labor leader canonical: https://time.com/6334994/burchett-mccarthy-altercation-mullin-obrien/ author: Nik Popli article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2023-11-14T18:34:16.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-19T07:28:26.121Z article:section: Politics og:title: Lawmakers Almost Came to Physical Blows at the Capitol. Twice og:description: The hallowed halls of the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday witnessed not one but two near-physical altercations involving lawmakers og:url: https://time.com/6334994/burchett-mccarthy-altercation-mullin-obrien/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt8f7a44f198ab2a5b/698a4248b3fce3483e0cb026/GettyImages-1782626063.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 5428 og:image:height: 3053 og:image:alt: Labor Union Hearing og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Lawmakers Almost Came to Physical Blows at the Capitol. Twice twitter:description: The hallowed halls of the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday witnessed not one but two near-physical altercations involving lawmakers twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt8f7a44f198ab2a5b/698a4248b3fce3483e0cb026/GettyImages-1782626063.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Lawmakers Almost Came to Physical Blows at the Capitol. Twice > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME D.C. Brief: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition D.C. Brief is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington. D.C. Brief goes beyond the Washington headlines to explain the politics, personalities and power dynamics shaping what happens next. 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It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=ea3217a2-3432-4229-85ce-94d3d6ec9901&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Bernie Sanders Stops Fight Between Sen. Markwayne Mullin and Teamsters Boss Sean O’Brien [Watch (HLS stream): Bernie Sanders Stops Fight Between Sen. Markwayne Mullin and Teamsters Boss Sean O’Brien](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/ThhWegKs.m3u8) (2:59)  _Published 2023-11-14. One of two altercations on Capitol Hill broke out during a Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions hearing when Sen. Markwayne Mullin, an Oklahoma Republican, and Teamsters President Sean O'Brien nearly came to blows. Earlier in the day, Rep. Tim Burchett, a Tennessee Republican, accused former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy of deliberately elbowing him in the back._  by [Nik Popli](https://time.com/author/nik-popli/)  ## Nik Popli Staff Writer Nov 14, 2023 6:34 PM UTC One of two altercations on Capitol Hill broke out during a Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions hearing when Sen. Markwayne Mullin, an Oklahoma Republican, and Teamsters President Sean O'Brien nearly came to blows. Earlier in the day, Rep. Tim Burchett, a Tennessee Republican, accused former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy of deliberately elbowing him in the back.  by [Nik Popli](https://time.com/author/nik-popli/)  ## Nik Popli Staff Writer Nov 14, 2023 6:34 PM UTC The hallowed halls of the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday witnessed not one but two near-physical altercations involving lawmakers, showcasing the escalating animosity within the political landscape. The first incident unfolded when Rep. Tim Burchett, a Tennessee Republican, accused former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy of deliberately elbowing him in the back. Burchett, one of the eight GOP members who voted to [remove McCarthy from his leadership post](https://time.com/6320197/in-dramatic-vote-mccarthy-becomes-first-house-speaker-to-be-ousted-in-u-s-history/) in October, was speaking to reporters after a closed-door Republican conference meeting when the incident occurred. According to Burchett, McCarthy's blow was intentional and fueled by personal resentment. “I was one of eight that voted him out,” Burchett declared, labeling McCarthy a "bully" and emphasizing the personal nature of the attack. "He’s mean and he knows it," Burchett added, suggesting McCarthy's actions were inappropriate and describing the encounter as "a little heated." But McCarthy denied any deliberate physical contact, [telling CNN](https://twitter.com/MZanona/status/1724461284106571980) that the hallway was tight and attributing the incident to the confined space. In an earlier [interview](https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/09/politics/mccarthy-comments-on-gop-critics/index.html#:~:text=In%20the%20interview%2C%20McCarthy%20said,said%20McCarthy%20was%20%E2%80%9Cbitter.%E2%80%9D) on the network, McCarthy said he was surprised by Burchett's vote to oust him, considering the Tennessee Republican had previously supported his bid for the speakership. The tension on Tuesday didn't stop at the House. In a separate incident at a Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions hearing, Sen. Markwayne Mullin, an Oklahoma Republican, and Teamsters President Sean O'Brien nearly came to blows. The confrontation stemmed from a series of provocative tweets exchanged between the two, culminating in a direct challenge to settle their differences physically. "You know where to find me. Anyplace, Anytime cowboy," O'Brien tweeted at Mullin, leading to a heated exchange during the Senate hearing. Mullin and O'Brien exchanged taunts and challenges, with Mullin ultimately getting up from his seat, ready to confront O'Brien physically. Mullin is a former undefeated Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter, and was inducted into the Oklahoma Wrestling Hall of Fame. Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent who caucuses with Democrats, intervened at the last minute, admonishing Mullin to sit down and preventing the situation from escalating further. "You're a United States senator, sit down," Sanders ordered Mullin as he stood up to approach O’Brien. This was not the first clash between Mullin and O'Brien, as their longstanding animosity had previously spilled into public view on social media. The two incidents on Capitol Hill underscored the deepening divisions and personal animosities within the political arena just days ahead of a potential government shutdown, raising concerns about the state of civility and decorum among elected officials. A [recent poll from Pew](https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2023/09/19/americans-dismal-views-of-the-nations-politics/) found that positive views of many governmental and political institutions are at historic lows, with just 16% of the public saying they trust the federal government always or most of the time. ## Transcript [00:00] Now let's talk about mr. [00:01] O'Brien himself. His behavior is everybody knows in this here [00:04] in the last time when I kind of had a back-and-forth [00:06] appreciate you to meet her today is quite different. [00:09] But after you left here you got pretty excited about keyboard [00:12] in fact you [00:14] We did that mean 1 2 3 4 5 times in a row who [00:26] pretend like you self made. [00:28] So I wish you was in the truck with me when I was building [00:31] my plumbing company myself and my wife was running the office [00:35] because I sure remember working pretty hard and long hours. [00:40] Pretends like she's self-made what a clown fraud always has been [00:45] always will be quit the tough-guy act in the Senate hearings, [00:51] you know where to find me any place any time cowboy. [00:57] So this is a time. [00:58] This is a place you want to run your mouth. [01:00] We can be two consenting adults. [01:02] We can finish it here. [01:03] Okay, that's fine. [01:04] I'd love to do right now. [01:09] It is Mary Fallin. [01:22] If we can do I have the can I respond to a hearing for [01:35] congress? What's I don't like you cuz you know that I tried [01:40] yourself. [01:42] Alright, then let's do this because I did challenge you and I accepted [01:47] your challenge. [01:49] And you went quiet. [01:50] No, I didn't go quite I was you challenged me to a cage match [01:54] acting like a twelve-year-old school early today. [01:57] I have the mic you have questions on any economic issues anything [02:05] we said go for it. [02:05] We're not here to talk about physical abuse you brought when [02:09] I talk about exposes Thug to who he is and you don't point at [02:16] me. That's disrespectful. [02:24] Y'all want to come over in the Moto there before he kicked it. [02:30] This is a this is a hearing to discuss economic issues. [02:37] All right. Do you have questions for mr. [02:40] O'Brien or anybody else on what he has said go for it, [02:44] but we're not here to talk about fights. 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