The U.S. congressman was raring for fisticuffs on the House chamber carpet. Even though it didn't happen, he has no regrets.
Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) openly tried to throw down with Teamsters President Sean O'Brien citing a tough-talking tweet posted over the summer criticizing the lawmaker's height and daring him to duel.
"That guy continues to get away with this stuff," Mullin said during an appearance on Newsmax's "Carl Higbie Frontline” soon after their clash that momentarily turned a Senate chamber hearing into a ringside billing. "It's silly and stupid, but every now and then you need to get punched in the face."
The congressman had O'Brien, the Teamsters boss, in his crosshairs based on personal digs made on Twitter over the politician mispronouncing his name and posting that he was "full of s---".
A follow-up to that the tweet had O'Brien mocking Mullin's stature (with a photo of him on a booster step behind a podium) and baiting him to a duel.
"Greedy CEO who pretends like he’s self made," the second tweet reads. "In reality, just a clown & fraud. Always has been, always will be. Quit the tough guy act in these senate hearings. You know where to find me. Anyplace, Anytime cowboy"
Mullin read the second tweet verbatim and then stood up to appear as if he was ready to fight it out.
"We can finish it here," he told O'Brien.
O'Brien responded: "That's perfect."
"Stand your butt up," Mullin told him.
"You stand your butt up," O'Brien said.
The two came close to going after each other, with Mullin seen starting to remove his wedding ring.
Then Bernie Sanders (I-VT), who was chairing the hearing on the labor movement in the United States, calmed the room and demanded Mullin sit-down and act like a "U.S. senator."
During his appearance on television though, Mullin said he doesn't regret how he handled the situation.
"You know some people are real strong behind a key pad," he explained. "But when they get called out it's completely different."
While it may be that the pugilistic antics seem unbecoming to a U.S. congressman, Mullin said that he is an Oklahoman first.
"And in Oklahoma if you do run your mouth like that — you're expected to be called out on it."
"And what would happen if I didn't call him out on it?"
He said that there was some ribbing after the fighting words about O'Brien intending to chat over coffee. But Mullin doesn't think that was his real intent.
"I think he was called to the carpet and he got really nervous," he said. "Because when he stood up the look on his face was a little bit different."
