A House Republican on Tuesday claimed that ousted House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) “shoved” him with a “cheap shot” from behind as he was being interviewed in the hallway of the U.S. Capitol Building.
Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.), one of eight Republicans who all Democrats joined to vacate the Speaker’s chair in a historic first in September, told Fox News McCarthy had taken a “cheap shot from behind.”
“You don’t expect that sort of thing from an adult, certainly not one who was once third in line for the White House,” Burchett said, adding he believes the push was “deliberate.”
“I’ll take a polygraph test. And have Kevin take a polygraph test,” he said. “It was deliberate. It was just a cheap shot by a bully.”
He went on to say he didn’t plan to take any further action against McCarthy, adding ominously, “He’s going to be out by Christmas.”
According to Fox News, “The alleged physical altercation occurred while Burchett was speaking with NPR correspondent Claudia Grisales, who described the incident in a thread on X.”
Thread:
Burchett's back was to McCarthy and his detail walking by in the hallway, then the lunge.
Burchett responded jokingly as McCarthy kept walking, "Sorry Kevin didn't mean to elbow –" then seriously yelled, "why'd you elbow me in the back Kevin?! Hey Kevin, you got any guts!?"
— Claudia Grisales (@cgrisales) November 14, 2023
@RepTimBurchett yelled after catching up to McCarthy, "Hey Kevin, why'd you walk behind me and elbow me in the back?"
KM: "I didn't elbow you in the back."
Burchett: "You got no guts, you did so, …the reporter said it right there, what kind of chicken move is that…"
— Claudia Grisales (@cgrisales) November 14, 2023
Burchett tells me that's the first point of "communication" with McCarthy since Burchett voted for McCarthy's ouster as speaker last month:
"That's just it" for communication since ouster vote, "He's just a jerk. He's just a childish little…"
— Claudia Grisales (@cgrisales) November 14, 2023
Burchett reiterates he hasn't talked to McCarthy since he voted against him.
"No, no that was it. That's it. He's got $17 million to work against me. And he's just a — he should have kept his word. I think that just showed what he's about and it's unfortunate."
— Claudia Grisales (@cgrisales) November 14, 2023
“Kevin McCarthy walked by, and he elbowed me in the kidneys,” Burchett said of the incident, which allegedly took place in a Capitol hallway.
“There’s 435 congressmen. I was one of the eight that voted against him. That hallway, there’s plenty of room. You can walk forward side by side, he chose to do what he did,” Burchett said. “I feel sorry for him, and I pray for him every day. You might not believe that, but I do, and I hope he finds some happiness in his life.”
The GOP majority elected Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) to become Speaker in late October after several other candidates failed to win enough support.
