Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Tuesday afternoon denied he sucker-punched Rep. Burchett.
GOP Rep. Tim Burchett (TN) on Tuesday claimed McCarthy shoved and sucker-punched him.
Recall, that Burchett was one of the GOP lawmakers who voted McCarthy out.
“Well, I was doing an interview with Claudia from NPR….and I got elbowed in the back and it kind of caught me off-guard because it was a clean shot to the kidneys and I turned back and there was Kevin…and I chased after him of course,” Burchett told CNN’s Manu Raju.
Burchett continued, “He’s a bully with a $17 million security detail.”
Rep. Burchett said he is still in pain from the sucker-punch to the kidneys.
“I just don’t expect a guy who was at one time three steps away from the White House to hit you with a sucker punch in the hallway,” Burchett said comparing McCarthy to a kid who would throw a rock and then go “hide behind his mama’s skirt.”
WATCH:
Rep. Tim Burchett claims on CNN that Kevin McCarthy hit him from behind with “a clean shot to the kidneys” and calls him “a bully” pic.twitter.com/CCLQvNuWHw
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) November 14, 2023
Congress reporters caught up with McCarthy later Tuesday afternoon and confronted him about Burchett’s allegations.
McCarthy rambled on and on about his version of the incident and skeptical reporters were not buying it.
CNN’s Manu Raju said a reporter witnessed him shove/hit Burchett.
“I guess our shoulders hit. I did not run and hit the guy. I did not kidney punch him,” McCarthy said.
“Reporters who witnessed this said you had plenty of room to walk and that you intentionally hit him,” Manu Raju said.
A defiant McCarthy said, “Show me a reporter who saw that!”
Manu Raju told McCarthy that Burchett is still in pain after being hit in the kidneys.
“Oh come on now!” McCarthy said.
WATCH:
News — Kevin McCarthy denies sucker punching Tim Burchett in kidneys. Says it was a crowded hallway and accidentally bumped into him. Said Burchett would know if it were intentional. Dismisses Burchett saying he was still in pain after the incident pic.twitter.com/3WkrU6lnkr
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) November 14, 2023
NPR reporter Claudia Grisales corroborated Burchett’s account of what happened.
“While talking to Rep Tim Burchett after the GOP conference meeting, former Speaker McCarthy walked by with his detail and McCarthy shoved Burchett. Burchett lunged towards me. I thought it was a joke, it was not. And a chase ensued…” Grisales said.
Have NEVER seen this on Capitol Hill:
While talking to @RepTimBurchett after the GOP conference meeting, former @SpeakerMcCarthy walked by with his detail and McCarthy shoved Burchett. Burchett lunged towards me. I thought it was a joke, it was not. And a chase ensued…
— Claudia Grisales (@cgrisales) November 14, 2023
