On November 14, 2023, Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma challenged the president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Sean O'Brien, to a physical fight during a Senate hearing on labor unions.
The confrontation occurred after Mullin questioned O'Brien about a tweet in which O'Brien had called Mullin a "greedy CEO who pretends like he's self-made." O'Brien responded by inviting Mullin to "stand your butt up" and fight him right there in the hearing room. Mullin stood up and nearly took his wedding ring off before Senator Bernie Sanders, the chairman of the labor committee, interjected and told both men to sit down.
The incident was widely condemned by both Democrats and Republicans. Sanders called it "a disgrace to the United States Senate" and said that it was "unbecoming of two adults to behave like that in front of the American people." Mullin later apologized for his behavior, but O'Brien said that the apology was not enough.
The incident highlighted the growing animosity between Republicans and Democrats in Congress. It also raised questions about the role of social media in fueling political conflict.
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