The former attorney general testified in support of the nomination. In October 1973 Richardson resigned rather than carry out President Nixon’s order to fire special Watergate prosecuter Archibald Cox. After Deputy Attorney General Ruckelshaus was fired, Solicitor General Bork, as the next ranking official, carried out the order to fire Cox in what has become known as the Saturday Night Massacre. In his testimony Richardson defended Bork’s actions saying, “From the outset Bob Bork was determined to make certain the Watergate special prosecution force was kept intact.”