Sasscer was born in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, and graduated from Dickinson School of Law in Carlisle, Pennsylvania in 1914.

During World War I, he served from 1917 to 1919, being overseas for thirteen months as a first lieutenant in the Fifty-ninth Artillery of the United States Army.

He was delegate to the 1924 and 1936 Democratic National Conventions, and vice chairman of the committee on reorganization of the State government in 1939.

Sasscer was elected as a Democrat to the U.S. Congress to fill the vacancy left open as a result of the death of Stephen Gambrill, serving from February 3, 1939, to January 3, 1953.

[1] Sasscer chose not to run for re-election in 1952, and instead attempted to win election to the United States Senate seat being vacated by Herbert O'Conor, but lost the nomination to George P. Mahoney.