Grieving Son's Death, Maryland Lawmaker Fights to Impeach Trump.

[elleng]

Representative Jamie Raskin, Democrat of Maryland, lost his 25-year-old son to suicide on New Year’s Eve. Then he survived the mob attack on the Capitol. Now, he leads the impeachment effort.

'On the last awful day of the brutal year 2020, Tommy Raskin, a 25-year-old Harvard University law student, social justice activist, animal lover and poet, concluded that the pain of the world was too deep for him to be in it anymore. He left his parents an apology, with instructions: “Please look after each other, the animals and the global poor for me.”

Tommy Raskin was buried last week in a simple Jewish graveside service. The next day, his father, Representative Jamie Raskin found himself hiding with his House colleagues from a violent mob incited by President Trump, and fearing for the safety of a surviving daughter, who had accompanied him to the Capitol to witness the counting of electoral votes to seal Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s victory.

Within hours, Mr. Raskin was at work drafting an article of impeachment with the mob braying in his ear and his son’s final plea on his mind. (It was introduced in the House on Monday.)

“I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to live up to those instructions,” Mr. Raskin, Democrat of Maryland, said in an interview on Monday, reading aloud the farewell note as he reflected on his family’s grief and the confluence of events. “But what we are doing this week is looking after our beloved republic.”

Mr. Raskin likes to say that “change is made by people who show up.” When the House convenes Wednesday to consider impeaching Mr. Trump for a second time, he will have to draw on every ounce of strength he has just to be there.'>>>

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/12/us/politics/jamie-raskin-trump.html

“change is made by people who show up.”

[Walleye]

1. I have so much admiration and respect for this man

[emmaverybo]

2. His tribute to his son beautiful. What a family! Like his father, son Tommy cared about the world. N

[MontanaMama]

3. The Raskin family has been in the forefront of my mind and heart

since the news of Tommy’s passing became public. I cannot imagine their grief and pain....especially since the insurrection when Rep Raskin has had put his country ahead of himself. He is a patriot of the highest order. I hope the universe will hold he hand his family close.

[3catwoman3]

4. In an earlier thread about the speech he gave...

...this morning, I said that if either of our sons, now 30 and 28, had died less than 2 weeks ago, I would probably not have even picked myself up off the floor yet, let alone gone back to work.

I am I’m awe.

[elleng]

5. Sorry I missed the earlier thread about his speech.

I can't imagine my reaction to what he's going through.

He's my Congressman, and I'm thankful for that.

[3catwoman3]

7. It's a short thread.

Here it is if you would like to see it:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100214901784

[elleng]

8. Thanks

[elleng]

6. ADDING:

'The slightly rumpled former constitutional law professor and son of a well-known liberal intellectual and antiwar activist has been preparing his entire life for this moment. That it should come just as he is suffering the most unimaginable loss a parent can bear has touched his colleagues on both sides of the aisle.

“I’ve been in awe of the personal strength and character he has shown through all of this, and we’re all supportive of him as a person and his family,” said Representative Tom Cole of Oklahoma, the top Republican on the House Rules Committee, who voted with 146 other Republicans to block certification of Mr. Biden’s victory. He added that Republicans regard Mr. Raskin as “a delightful human being.” . .

“Paine said, ‘In the monarchies, the king is the law,” Mr. Raskin told his colleagues. “But in the democracies, the law will be king.”'