Jeff Sessions has a folksy rebuttal to a Democrat's claim about another Saturday Night Massacre

Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
(Image credit: Screenshot/YouTube/PBS NewsHour)

Rep. Ted Deutch (D-Fla.) asked Attorney General Jeff Sessions if the American people ought to be worried about another Saturday Night Massacre during Sessions' testimony before the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday. "What you've told us today, and just this exchange, what we should all be concerned about is another Saturday Night Massacre if you can't tell us the president shouldn't fire the special counsel and everyone who works for him," Deutch said. "We should be worried if you're telling us the president should be able to pardon in advance all of those who are being investigated. We should be worried about the pursuit of the rule of law."

The invocation of former President Richard Nixon's decision to fire special prosecutor Archibald Cox during Watergate didn't ruffle Sessions. "Just briefly," he said, "one of the things if you respect the rule of law is the attorney general should not be giving legal opinions from the seat of his breeches." Watch below. Jeva Lange

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Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.