Given the deteriorating situation in Washington, D.C. the past few days, former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions argues more robust measures could be warranted if needed to restore order.

During an appearance on Huntsville, AL radio’s WVNN, Sessions, a candidate for U.S. Senate in Alabama, reminded listeners of powers used by past presidents, which set a precedent for President Donald Trump to act to defend the American capital city.

“Look,  you’ve got to protect the nation’s capital,” he said. “You had 50 or 60 Secret Service officers being attacked an injured defending the White House. This is not a protest. This is an attack, a riot, and no president can tolerate that. I remember, as a young college student Richard Nixon called out the 82nd Airborne after the radicals announced they were shutting down the nation’s capital. ‘We’re going to shut down Washington, D.C.’ He said, ‘No, you’re not,’ and they didn’t. And actually, I think that was the breaking point, the apex for the radical movement — the sort of downhill from there, as I recall. Henry Kissinger said it has all the earmarks of a revolution that failed. That’s basically how bad it was.”

“The president ought to be able to walk to church,” Sessions continued. “The president ought to be able to sit safely in the White House and not have to go to the basement. And the idea that 50 Secret Service agents are injured is outrageous. This is absolutely outrageous. We need to support our police. They’ve shown discipline consistently. These are very, very tough times. Civilian chiefs, mayors and governors — tell them to have your back. You have to be professional. You do the right thing, and we’re going to support you. And the right thing is not to sit quietly while stores are being burned and looted, and people are being injured and attacked. I’m going to tell you — you’ve got to restore law. This is fundamental, and numbers are important. These mayors don’t need to wait too late. If they have any doubt about the ability to have sufficient police numbers to protect the city, they need to call out fellow police departments, sheriffs’ departments and national guard.”

Follow Jeff Poor on Twitter @jeff_poor