'This is not Fox': CNN interview goes off the rails as Republican flips out on Jim Acosta

A Wednesday morning interview with a Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) on CNN spiraled into chaos when host Jim Acosta tried to get a straight answer out of him about Donald Trump's blanket Jan. 6 pardons and the cornered far-right lawmakers responded with a fusillade of insults.

That led the CNN anchor to eventually remind his guest, "This is not Fox" -- the conservative network competitor notorious for not restricting their Republican guests to the facts.

Focusing on Trump's blanket release of almost 1500 Jan. 6 Capitol rioters that included violent offenders, Acosta asked, "Do you defend what Donald Trump did, releasing these people from prison, pardoning them, commuting their sentences? Yes or no?"

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"I was offended as anybody if they crossed those barriers, they were breaking the law," Burchett offered. "But you got to realize too, they are charged under federal law. Many of them never even saw their day in court and were sitting in a jail cell. So the whole thing is––."

"Congressman, I asked you a yes or no question. Do you agree with President Trump's decision to pardon these violent people and releasing them?"

When the Tennessee lawmaker attempted to change the subject and point the finger at President Joe Biden, Acosta again cut him off with, "That is absolutely false. Congressman, are you going to respond and say whether or not it is right to let these people out of jail?"

"I don't know if it is or not. I'm not a lawyer, but I'll tell you what is --," he replied.

"You're a congressman a member of Congress. You're an elected official. –– take a stand!" the exasperated Acosta interrupted.

That was when Burchett started with the personal attacks, at one time telling the CNN host, "Jim, why don't you just give an editorial and not let me come on?"

"Look what happened to the last four years with police, what happened with all the riots that took place all across the country?" the increasingly argumentative Burchett complained. "Police officers were murdered. Courthouses were burned, over 22 police cars were burned. Yet no one went to jail for that."

"Congressman, you're engaging in a game of whataboutism," Acosta accused, which was followed by more crosstalk.

"This is not Fox, congressman. You can't just spin a tale and pull the wool over people's eyes," Acosta told him. "This is CNN, this is the news. We are asking you to come on and tell the truth."

"And that's why more people are watching the Cartoon Network, SpongeBob reruns right now, Jim," the GOP lawmaker sneered.

You can watch below or at the link.

- YouTubeyoutu.be