During a U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions hearing, a verbal altercation occurred between Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin and Teamsters President Sean O'Brien. The confrontation was sparked by Mullin reading aloud O'Brien's tweets, in which he referred to Mullin as a 'clown' and a 'fraud'. The disagreement escalated when Mullin challenged O'Brien to a physical fight, a proposition that was interrupted by Senator Bernie Sanders, who called for decorum.
The conflict between Mullin and O'Brien has been building for months, with O'Brien previously accusing Mullin of hiding money when he owned a company. The altercation ended with Mullin proposing a charity fight, a suggestion that O'Brien rejected, proposing instead that they have a discussion over coffee.
In the aftermath of the incident, Mullin's political team began using the near-brawl to raise funds, offering a black T-shirt with the phrase 'Anytime, Anyplace' for a $35 donation. The phrase is a reference to a tweet from O'Brien that seemed to challenge Mullin to a fight. Mullin also spoke about the incident on various platforms, including Sean Hannity's show, Newsmax, and the Undaunted podcast, where he defended his actions and criticized O'Brien.
The hearing also featured Shawn Fain, president of the United Auto Workers, who spoke about the success of the UAW's strike and its ripple effect on the auto industry. The impact of mergers on workers and the right to unionize was also discussed during the hearing.