House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) got into a fight on the floor of the House loaded with obscenities and threats of physical violence, according to sources that spoke to The Daily Beast.
The fight came during a floor vote in which Republicans pushed to censure Rep. Adam Schiff, ostensibly for lying about certain facts of the Russia investigation into former President Donald Trump — although they can't seem to articulate what he actually lied about.
"Democrats stood on the House floor and shouted 'Shame!' at their GOP colleagues," reported Matt Fuller. "As the spectacle was taking place, one of the leaders of the demonstration, Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA), was standing in the well of the House near the speaker's podium and delivered some harsh words to his fellow Californian. 'This is pathetic,' Swalwell allegedly told McCarthy, who was presiding over the House at the time. 'You’re weak. You're a weak man.'"
According to sources, McCarthy was visibly enraged by the slight — and the two got in each other's faces the next day on the House floor.
"If you ever say something like that to me again, I’m gonna kick the sh*t out of you," McCarthy told Swalwell, according to one member. Swalwell reportedly then said, "Are we really gonna do this?" to which McCarthy replied “Call me a p*ssy again, and I’ll kick your ass.” Swalwell reportedly responded, “You. Are. A. P*ssy.” And after a moment of staring each other down, they de-escalated and McCarthy allowed Swalwell to pass him to the bathroom.
Neither McCarthy nor Swalwell has confirmed or denied the incident; however, rumors of it have swirled for weeks, with slightly different versions being told, so it's unclear how much of this is fact and how much is exaggeration.
However, McCarthy has a longstanding bad relationship with Swalwell, a constant target of hate and threats from Trump supporters over his own role investigating the former president. McCarthy ordered him removed from the House Intelligence Committee as one of his first official acts, ostensibly over an encounter he had with a Chinese agent years ago in which he has never been accused of any misconduct.
