This article is from the source 'rtcom' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.rt.com/news/587289-kevin-mccarthy-elbow-ellegation/
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Ousted US House speaker accused of assaulting colleague | Ousted US House speaker accused of assaulting colleague |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Kevin McCarthy faces an ethics complaint after allegedly elbowing a fellow Republican lawmaker in the back on Capitol Hill | Kevin McCarthy faces an ethics complaint after allegedly elbowing a fellow Republican lawmaker in the back on Capitol Hill |
| Former US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has allegedly assaulted a Republican colleague who had voted last month to oust him from his leadership position. The allegation has lead to an ethics complaint against McCarthy. | |
| The incident was said to have occurred on Tuesday, while Rep Tim Burchett was speaking with an NPR reporter, Claudia Grisales, in a US Capitol hallway, following a closed-door meeting of GOP lawmakers. Burchett, a Tennessee Republican, said McCarthy elbowed him in the back as he walked behind him. Grisales said she saw McCarthy shove Burchett from behind, causing Burchett to lunge toward her. | |
| Burchett later told reporters that McCarthy was protected by his bodyguards after the painful jab, which he called a “clean shot to the kidneys.” He said he believes the incident was retribution for his decision to vote with seven other Republicans to remove McCarthy as speaker – the first such ouster in US history. | Burchett later told reporters that McCarthy was protected by his bodyguards after the painful jab, which he called a “clean shot to the kidneys.” He said he believes the incident was retribution for his decision to vote with seven other Republicans to remove McCarthy as speaker – the first such ouster in US history. |
| Burchett can be heard reacting to the alleged jab in an audio clip of the incident. At one point, he followed McCarthy down the hallway and asked the ex-speaker why he’d hit him in the back. McCarthy denied elbowing him, at which point Burchett said, “You’ve got no guts. You did so … the reporter said it right there. What kind of chicken move is that? You’re pathetic, man.” | |
| “A guy throws a rock over the fence when he was a kid and runs home and hides behind his momma’s skirt,” Burchett said. “He’s got his security detail around. He knows nobody’s gonna do anything to him.” | “A guy throws a rock over the fence when he was a kid and runs home and hides behind his momma’s skirt,” Burchett said. “He’s got his security detail around. He knows nobody’s gonna do anything to him.” |
| McCarthy, a California Republican, denied that he shoved or elbowed his colleague, telling CNN that the hallway in which he passed behind Burchett was cramped. | McCarthy, a California Republican, denied that he shoved or elbowed his colleague, telling CNN that the hallway in which he passed behind Burchett was cramped. |
| Representative Matt Gaetz, the Florida Republican who led the campaign to replace McCarthy as House speaker, filed an ethics complaint following the alleged assault. | Representative Matt Gaetz, the Florida Republican who led the campaign to replace McCarthy as House speaker, filed an ethics complaint following the alleged assault. |
| “This Congress has seen a substantial increase in breaches of decorum unlike anything we have seen since the pre-Civil War era,” Gaetz wrote in his complaint. “I myself have been a victim of outrageous conduct on the House floor as well, but nothing like an open and public assault on a member, committed by another member. The rot starts at the top.” | “This Congress has seen a substantial increase in breaches of decorum unlike anything we have seen since the pre-Civil War era,” Gaetz wrote in his complaint. “I myself have been a victim of outrageous conduct on the House floor as well, but nothing like an open and public assault on a member, committed by another member. The rot starts at the top.” |
| The alleged incident came on the same day that a US senator nearly came to blows with a witness during a committee hearing. Oklahoma Republican Markwayne Mullin confronted Teamsters president Sean O’Brien about a social media post in which the labor union leader accused the senator of playing a “tough-guy act” and challenged him to a fight “any place, any time, cowboy.” | The alleged incident came on the same day that a US senator nearly came to blows with a witness during a committee hearing. Oklahoma Republican Markwayne Mullin confronted Teamsters president Sean O’Brien about a social media post in which the labor union leader accused the senator of playing a “tough-guy act” and challenged him to a fight “any place, any time, cowboy.” |
| “Sir, this is the time, this is the place, if you want to run your mouth,” Mullin said. “We can be two consenting adults; we can finish it here.” | “Sir, this is the time, this is the place, if you want to run your mouth,” Mullin said. “We can be two consenting adults; we can finish it here.” |
| “OK, that’s fine. Perfect. I’d love to do it right now,” O'Brien replied. | “OK, that’s fine. Perfect. I’d love to do it right now,” O'Brien replied. |
| When Mullin stood up and began moving toward O’Brien, Senator Bernie Sanders, the Vermont independent who was tasked with chairing the committee, intervened. | When Mullin stood up and began moving toward O’Brien, Senator Bernie Sanders, the Vermont independent who was tasked with chairing the committee, intervened. |
| “This is a hearing,” Sanders said. “And God knows the American people have enough contempt for Congress. Let’s not make it worse.” | “This is a hearing,” Sanders said. “And God knows the American people have enough contempt for Congress. Let’s not make it worse.” |
| Mullin, a businessman who was sworn in as a senator earlier this year, fought and won three MMA fights in 2006 and 2007. | Mullin, a businessman who was sworn in as a senator earlier this year, fought and won three MMA fights in 2006 and 2007. |