LOS ANGELES.–Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), 61, got his way without any party fight, replacing 77-year-old Rep. Jerold Nadler (D-N.Y.) as head of the powerful Judiciary Committee. Raskin made a name for himself as lead House manager in Trump’s second impeachment trial, accusing 78-year-old President Donald Trump or “incitement of insurrection.” Raskin gave a powerful plea in the Senate Judiciary Committee, eventually failing to convict Trump Feb. 13, 2021, only two weeks after Trump left office. But Raskin and House Democrats were not done beating dead horse, forming the Jan. 6 House Select Committee where House Democrats and two renegade Republicans charged Trump with obstruction of Jan. 6, 2021, trying overthrow the U.S. government. Forming the Jan. 6 Select Committee partisans like Raskin tried to prevent Trump from running in 2024.
Democrats threw the book at Trump in the Jan. 6 House Select Committee, spending 18 months fabricating evidence to show that Trump planned and orchestrated the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection. When former House speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) impeached Trump for the second time Jan. 9, 2021 she used the word insurrection for the reason in her article of impeachment. Her attorneys wanted trigger an obscure Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, prohibiting running for public office if convicted of insurrection. Whatever happened on Jan. 6, 2021 at the Capitol, it was anything but an insurrection. It was frenzied riot for sure but not an attempt to overthrow the U.S. government. Some of the Proud Boys or Oath Keepers wanted former Vice Pence to stop the Electoral College Vote, even though it was a formality. Pence certified the Electoral College vote.
Pelosi, Raskin and the most partisan, anti-Trump Democrats worked for 18 months on the Jan. 6 Select Committee to tie Trump to the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection. When the committee concluded Jan. 2, 2023, they transmitted their findings to Atty. Gen. Merrick Garland. President Joe Biden, 82, was all on board, charging Trump with any crimes related to the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection. Garland had already appointed Special Counsel Jack Smith Nov. 22, 2022, anticipating the Jan. 6 Select Committee recommendations. Smith proceeded to charge Trump with conspiring to overturn the Nov. 5, 2020 election results. Smith had no facts or evidence other that the most partisan witch hunt in the nation’s history, trying to stop Trump from running for election in 2024. To accomplish that, Smith would have to convict Trump of multiple federal crimes, including possessing classified documents.
Raskin was a big part of the Jan. 6 House Select Committee, having worked feverishly as the lead impeachment manager on Trump’s trial. Raskin was all in, a true believer in the Democrat cause of preventing Trump from running for president. Nadler realized he was fighting City Hall to go against his party’s leadership that wanted to place Raskin as a foil against Trump in his four years in office, but, more importantly, before in two years Democrats get a chance to flip back the House and Senate. “I am also proud that, under my leadership, some our caucus’s most talented rising stars have been give a platform to demonstrate their leadership and their abilities,” Nadler said, endorsing Raskin to replace him as head of the House Judiciary Committee. “That included Jamie Raskin, who in just a few terms in Congress, has already proven himself to be an exceptional leader and spokesman for out party’s values,” Nadler said.
Nadler sang Jamie his praises only because the handwriting was on the walls, he was being replaced. “Jerry Nadler is an extraordinary lawyer, patriot and public servant,” Raskin said, knowing he had usurped Nadler’s position. Nadler isn’t happy about 54-year-old House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) conspiring to hand Raskin Nadler’s job. Raskin has close press contacts with the New York Times and Washington Post, not to mention CNN and MSNBC, all media wings of the Democrat Party. Democrats want to use Raskin to trash Trump any possible in the next four years. Raskin earned his chops prosecuting the fake trial against Trump in the U.S. Senate for “incitement of insurrection.” Raskin knew the FBI confirmed that the Jan. 6 Capitol riots were planned for months. Raskin had no evidence that Trump was involved in the Jan. 6 Capitol riots.
Democrats actually think that the same strategy of trashing Trump works, despite watching it backfire in 2024. What makes Democrats think that trashing Trump is their best way to go forward into the 2026 Midterm elections? “As our country faces the return of Donald Trump, and the renewed threat to our democracy and our way of life that he represents, I am very confident that Jamie would ably lead the Judiciary Committee as we confront this growing danger,” Nadler said, repeating former Vice President Kamala Harris’ arguments. Raskin is an incessant talker who has nothing good to say about Trump or any other Republican. If Raskin continues partisan attacks on Trump, it could boomerang by 2026 when Democrat hope to get back the House and Senate. If Trump continues his 54% approval rating, Raskin will do more damage to Democrat Party.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
