WASHINGTON (AP) — Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland introduced Monday that he’ll run to turn into the highest Democrat on the highly effective House Judiciary Committee subsequent 12 months, straight difficult his fellow Democratic consultant. Jerry Nadler because the get together prepares to battle a second Trump administration and an emboldened Republican majority.
“House Democrats should stand as much as defend the rules and establishments of constitutional democracy,” Raskin wrote in a letter to colleagues. “This is our historic task now. We dare not fail.”
Raskin stated within the letter — obtained by The Associated Press — that he determined to run for the place after spending the week consulting with House Democrats and “partaking in critical introspection” about the place the get together goes after the beautiful election defeat final month that he handed over to Republicans. management of Congress and the White House.
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While he at the moment serves as the highest Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, Raskin stated that subsequent 12 months, the Judiciary Committee underneath his management will turn into “the headquarters of congressional opposition to authoritarianism,” as will different efforts by the president . Donald Trump and his allies to thwart the Constitution.
Being the face of the resistance towards Trump just isn’t new territory for Raskin who has spent the final two years at Oversight because the president’s fiercest defender Joe Biden and his household as they confronted a broad Republican investigation — inspired by Trump — into their numerous affairs.
Raskin, a former constitutional regulation professor, additionally helped draft the articles of impeachment towards the incoming president for his encouragement of a violent mob on January 6, 2021, and led the Senate impeachment proceedings.
But by throwing his hat into the ring, Raskin is inviting a bitter combat throughout the get together with Nadler, who’s at the moment serving his seventeenth time period in Congress and has held the highest spot within the judiciary since 2019. Over the years, Democrats they not often broke. from the seniority system for committee positions, irrespective of how lengthy somebody has held a place, making the end result of the race unsure.
Both males didn’t reply to requests for remark, however Raskin closed his letter by praising Nadler, saying he made this choice “with boundless respect and admiration” for him.
“If I’m lucky sufficient to be chosen for this accountability within the 119th Congress, I’ll flip first to Jerry for his all the time clever counsel and political judgment,” Raskin added.
