As the Lead Impeachment Manager, Representative Jamie Raskin’s short answer to Representative Tom Cole of Oklahoma, who voted to block certifying the 2020 Presidential election:
“The people who are saying why impeach now really should be asking: Why does he continue to commit impeachable offenses up until the very end of his term?”
Raskin’s long answer, which we’ll hear Wednesday, January 13th:
The long one, which Mr. Raskin, who has written two books on Supreme Court cases, intends to deliver Wednesday on the House floor, begins this way: “We came very close to experiencing a coup in America. It was like an attempted coup wrapped inside a violent riot wrapped inside some cosmetic protests on the outside.”
The photo above was taken January 6th (before the chaos), when Rep Raskin received a standing ovation from both sides of the House acknowledging the death of his 25-year-old son, Thomas Bloom Raskin, New Year’s Eve.
From a statement about his son, which I hope you read:
On the last hellish brutal day of that godawful miserable year of 2020, when hundreds of thousands of Americans and millions of people all over the world died alone in bed in the darkness from an invisible killer disease ravaging their bodies and minds, we also lost our dear, dear, beloved son, Hannah and Tabitha’s beloved irreplaceable brother, a radiant light in this broken world.
He left us this farewell note on New Year’s Eve day: ‘Please forgive me. My illness won today. Please look after each other, the animals, and the global poor for me. All my love, Tommy.’
My Mother passed away from COVID on January 8th, she was 87. She attempted suicide when learning “the other woman” was following us from New York to California. I was so lucky to have her for 50 more years, knowing that life could’ve been so different without her. Mom was an English teacher with a wicked sense of humor. (Mom, we’re black, why did you name one of your kids Kipling‽)
She was the parent that was always there. She taught me (and 1st and 2nd graders) how to read with 100% comprehension. She was the one that couldn’t afford a computer, but got an electric typewriter that changed my life. She was the one that convinced the new principal to put me in 12th grade, only later to find I failed 7th and 8th grades. She was the one calling in every favor to get me into college: we went in humble, but after taking the GED we came back to a giddy reception—my results cost the State of Michigan six million dollars to redo the test.
Her doctor said she was a glass half-full woman (I could hear the delight in his voice, and also the sadness). Called mom one last time at 10:09pm, Friday. Fortunately, the nurse saw my name and called back, and I heard mom’s voice one last time. She died at 10:55pm.
For Rep Raskin to stand, at this moment of his grief, in the House of Representatives and present the case for Impeachment is what mom would call, doing something constructive. So I got myself out of bed to do this, and here you go. Kiss your elbow, Mommy.
My condolences to Representative Raskin and his family.