Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) claimed on Tuesday that former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) elbowed him in the back after a House GOP meeting.
Burchett, who is one of the eight Republicans who sided with Democrats in ousting McCarthy from the speakership last month, shared the allegations with ABC News.
McCarthy denied that he started any physical altercation with Burchett, according to a reporter from NPR, who posted on X that she witnessed part of the altercation.
However, Burchett said he was speaking with the reporter when McCarthy walked behind him and intentionally elbowed him in the back.
The Tennessee representative said he was pushed forward and then followed the former Speaker down the hallway to confront him.
The NPR reporter said that Burchett asked McCarthy: “Why’d you walk behind me and elbow me in the back?”
“I didn’t elbow you in the back,” McCarthy responded, according to the reporter who said that Burchett said, “You got no guts. You did so.”