Senator Reassures Jack Lew He Has No Interest In A Duel

During Jack Lew’s confirmation hearing, Sen. Richard Burr distanced himself from ancestor who killed the treasury secretary.

Video available at: http://buzzfeed-video1.s3.amazonaws.com/video/2013/02/13/BurrLewJoke-320x240.mp4.

Via: CJ Lotz

During Jack Lew’s confirmation hearing before the Senate Finance Committee, North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr referenced an 1804 duel between his ancestor — the former Vice president Aaron Burr — and then-Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton.

“I want you to know that my family’s differences with Alexander Hamilton do not extend to other secretaries of the treasury,” Burr told Lew.

In the 19th century duel, Vice President Burr shot and mortally wounded the Secretary of the Treasury.