MSNBC’s Lawrence O'Donnell understands what’s at stake with Barack Obama’s impending immigration order: “No one at the White House has been able to give me the legal justification for the following component of the president’s plan which was leaked to The New York Times – the part where it says … that the president will allow many parents of children who are American citizens or legal residents to obtain legal work documents. Can you tell me, and has the White House told you, what is the legal justification for the president to create a new category of beneficiaries for work documents? How can that be done without legislation?”

Congressman Peter Welch responded: “You know, Lawrence, I can’t tell you, and I’m not the lawyer who’s going to be litigating this case. So the answer to that would be decided by the courts, as you and I know. But here’s what I can tell you…”

O'Donnell cut in: “Congressman, so as far as you know, and I don’t mean to badger about this, but I’ve been on this for days now. I haven’t heard from a single elected Democrat, not one Democrat in Washington, who can answer the question that I just put to you. Have you heard it answered by any Democrats?”

Welch responded, “I haven’t. I haven’t.”