Rep. Burchett reacts to Washington drama
Rep. Burchett was at the center of the drama after he said former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy elbowed him in the kidney.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - After a Tuesday filled with allegations that the former Speaker of the House elbowed a Tennessee Representative in the Kidneys, a Senator stood up to fight a union leader, and two lawmakers verbally sparred in a committee hearing, dust is settling in the nations capitol.
”To me, it’s just beyond belief up here, we can’t get out of our own way,” said Representative Tim Burchett.
Burchett represents Tennessee’s 2nd district, the Republican made headlines on a busy Tuesday in Washington after he said Kevin McCarthy, the former speaker of the house, elbowed him in the back, by his kidneys when Burchett was interviewing with National Public Radio.
”This is just beyond the pale, it’s just a sad commentary, it’s a sad asterisk on his career,” said Burchett.
Burchett once had a good working relationship with McCarthy, when the California Republican was fighting for votes to secure the speakership, Burchett was one of his closest allies trying to calm fear McCarthy wouldn’t deliver.
But, after McCarthy dissed Burchett’s religion, the relationship has been on the outs, and on Tuesday it seemed to have hit a boiling point.
McCarthy denies Burchett’s claims.
”No I did not elbow him, no I would not elbow him in the kidney,” McCarthy told reporters.
While McCarthy and Burchett were sparring, a Republican and Democrat weren’t mincing words in a committee hearing that resulted in cursing between the two.
On the other side of the capitol building, Oklahoma Republican Senator Marwayne Mullin challenged the head of the Teamsters Union Sean O’Brien to a fight.
“You wanna do this right now,” Mullin said in the video to O’Brien as he stands up. “No, no, no you’re a United States Senator,” Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) yelled in the background.
Burchett battles back after people said things are boiling over because lawmakers are overworked.
”This isn’t work,” said Burchett.
While headlines showed a long day in Washington, Burchett feels the animosity is only from some and doesn’t summarize the entirety of Congress.
”I don’t know, I think it’s just where some people are, and they need to be held accountable by their voters, and it’s about personal responsibility,” said Burchett.
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