#12. Congressman Jamie Raskin’s Inspiring Response to Two Unthinkable, Juxtaposed Traumas: The Insurrection of January 6th, the Day after Burying His Beloved Son

Delving In with Stuart Kelter

Jamie Raskin represents Maryland’s Eighth Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives and in 2021 was the Lead Manager in the second impeachment of Donald Trump, in response to the January 6 insurrection that aimed to block the certification of Joe Biden as resident-elect. Raskin is a member of the House Judiciary Committee, the Rules Committee, the Oversight and Reform Committee, and the Administration Committee. He is also a member of the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th attack on the United States Capital.

Raskin is considered one of the most progressive members of Congress, continuing in the same spirit as he had when serving as Majority Whip of the MD state senate, leading successful fights for marriage equality, abolition of the death penalty, passage of of the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, among many other issues. Before entering politics, Raskin was a constitutional law professor and author of several books, including two on the Supreme Court.

His most recent book, a memoir, published on January 1 of 2022, is Unthinkable — Trauma, Truth, and the Trials of American Democracy, which delves into two juxtaposed, unthinkable events: having to bury his 25 year old son, Tommy, on January 5, 2021 a few days after his dying by suicide, and then the very next day, attending Congress on January 6 and personally living through the horrific violence of the insurrection.

(Recorded 10/6/22.)

Note: This episode won First Prize in the Podcast Division of the New Mexico Press Women 2023 Communications Contest.