The Violence Against Women Act, a landmark principle passed by Congress in 1994 aimed at protecting women who are victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence, is set to expire on December 7. And while two VAW-Arelated monies have been introduced in the House, including a long-term extension by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee( D-Texas) and other House Democrat , no Republicans have yet to sign on as co-sponsors.

So at a gathering in Dallas on Thursday, a neighbourhood TV reporter requested Texas Republican Rep. Pete Time about voting against VAWA reauthorization five years ago. Sessions, who is in the middle of a contentious re-election campaign against Democrat Colin Allred, a former NFL player turned civil rights attorney, decided to use the opportunity to mansplain to a reporter how Congress directs.

A video of the exchange demonstrates Sessions, chair of the House Rules Committee, going back and forth with NBC 5 reporter Laura Harris in an increasingly grumpy mode. Periods said he supported the law but eventually told Harris she was ” embarrassed” before teaching her on the difference between programme and appropriations. When Harris pushed him considerably, Sessions reacted,” You still want to keep running this camera or you want to learn about this ?”

When asked by NBC 5 in Dallas about his 2013 “NO” vote on the Violence Against Women Act, Congressman Pete Sessions has a meltdown.

He accuses the reporter of being “confused” and asks if she wants to “keep running this camera? Or do you want to learn about this? ” #TX32 #VAWA pic.twitter.com/ PI5KHF6ssJ

— Josh Stewart (@ JoshDStewart) October 5, 2018

After the excerpt surfaced, Allred’s campaign manager Paige Hutchinson tweeted that Sessions couldn’t defend his voting register, contributing the information was ” go for new leadership .”

Sessions, who has the backing of President Donald Trump, will greet Vice President Mike Pence and Sen. Ted Cruz next week. A recent New York Times/ Siena poll showed that the Sessions-Allred race stands close-fisted, with Sessions up by a merely place.

Meanwhile, Sessions isn’t the only lawmaker up for re-election whose support for VAWA has come into question lately. In another tight Texas scoot, Democrat Lizzie Fletcher announced on incumbent Rep. John Culberson to support Lee’s bill and criticized him for failing to” stand with the women of Texas in addressing the epidemic of violence against women .” Culberson likewise voted against VAWA renewal in 2013.

Read more: motherjones.com