REPORT: Kevin McCarthy Just ‘SHOVED’ A Republican Colleague: ‘Clean Shot To The Kidney’

Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) has been on a downward spiral since his ouster early last month, and the latest report from Capitol Hill is that he’s physically taking out his aggression on Republican colleagues who voted to remove him from the top post.

In a thread on X, NPR correspondent Claudia Grisales told followers about a recent interaction between Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) and McCarthy that she saw while interviewing the Tennessee Republican in a congressional hallway. McCarthy, flanked by aides and security personnel, appeared to shove Burchett into her as he passed.

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 (Threads: @claudgrisales) (@cgrisales) November 14, 2023

Grisales said Rep. Burchett tried to play off the interaction at first, saying,” “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!?”

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 (Threads: @claudgrisales) (@cgrisales) November 14, 2023

Burchett turned to Grisales and then called McCarthy a “jerk” before chasing the disgraced former leader down a hallway.

“Hey Kevin, why’d you walk behind me and elbow me in the back?” asked Rep. Burchett.

“I didn’t elbow you in the back,” McCarthy replied.

“You got no guts, you did so, …the reporter said it right there, what kind of chicken move is that?” Burchett shot back.

@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 (Threads: @claudgrisales) (@cgrisales) November 14, 2023

“You’re pathetic man, you are so pathetic,” Rep. Burchett continued as McCarthy kept walking.

Turning back to the reporter, Burchett said that was the first “communication” he’s received from McCarthy since voting to remove him from the speakership on October 3rd.

“He’s on a downhill spiral… he just, that was pretty gutless of him. I’m disappointed in him,” Burchett said.

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 (Threads: @claudgrisales) (@cgrisales) November 14, 2023

Rep. Burchett and seven other Republicans voted with Democrats to remove McCarthy as House Speaker, plunging the chamber into chaos for weeks while Republicans attempted at various times to unite behind Reps. Steve Scalise (R-LA), Jim Jordan (R-OH), and former Speaker Pro Temp Patrick McHenry (R-NC). After successive failures on the floor, the conference ultimately decided on newly minted Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), a stalwart conservative who has promised to do away with some of McCarthy’s past practices including collaborating with Democrats on continuing resolutions and funding for overseas wars in Ukraine and Gaza.