Who is Jamie Raskin, the lead House manager at Trump’s second impeachment trial?
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The first few weeks of 2021 have been hellish for Jamie Raskin.
The Democratic congressman from Maryland began the year by announcing that his only son committed suicide on New Year’s Eve.
Less than a week later, Raskin cowered inside the U.S. Capitol with other members of Congress as a violent mob of pro-Trump attackers stormed the building in a failed bid to overthrow American democracy.
And now, Raskin is gearing up to lead a team of House managers who will make the case at Donald Trump’s impeachment trial that the Senate must convict the former president and bar him from ever holding public office again for instigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) named Raskin as the lead House impeachment manager on Jan. 12, saying the Maryland congressman was uniquely equipped for the task with a “great love of country, determination to protect our democracy and loyalty to our oath to the Constitution.”
As lead manager, Raskin will serve as the primary mouthpiece for Trump’s conviction.
When opening arguments start on Feb. 8, he’s likely to get the most speaking time for the House side. He’s also in charge of delegating the remaining speaking time to his eight fellow impeachment managers.
Raskin’s extensive constitutional chops influenced Pelosi to pick him for the top trial job.
Before being elected to Congress, he taught constitutional law at American University for more than 25 years, and his House committee assignments are reflective of that.
He currently serves as the chairman of the House Oversight Committee’s sub-panel on civil rights, and as the vice chairman of the House Judiciary Committee’s sub-panel on the Constitution. He also serves as the vice chairman of House Administration Committee.
Asked on CNN last week why he decided to take on the high-profile impeachment post while mourning his son, Raskin suggested the family tragedy influenced him.
“I’m not going to lose my son in 2020 and my country in 2021,” he said.
