MARYLAND MATTERS: Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-8th) said his passion to remain as a member of the House of Representatives comes from defending the U.S. Constitution and the rule of law.
The congressman from Montgomery County said in an interview Monday that the idea to seek the Democratic nomination to replace longtime Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) “was very attractive to me.”
But he’s committed to remain in his House seat.
Raskin currently serves as the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight and Accountability Committee. Last month, he led the defense at President Joe Biden when the committee, led by House Republicans, held what Democrats called a “sham” hearing about allegations that the president benefited from his son’s business dealings.
“The Democrats in the Oversight Committee, where I’m a leader for our side, were able to shut that down on the very first day,” Raskin said. “My energies right now are properly aligned with the political situation. I’ve been very happy with the decision I made to stay in the House, to fight for democracy and to try and overcome the threat of authoritarianism.”
Raskin hasn’t decided who would be the best candidate to replace Cardin. Three of the top Democrats seeking the nomination are Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, Montgomery County Councilmember Will Jawando and Rep. David Trone (D-6th).
“I have not given the whole thing sufficient attention, yet,” he said. “When we get through the current crisis of the speakership in the House and the terrible events taking place in Israel, I will look much more closely of the situation.”
As for this week, Raskin said his Democratic caucus plans to meet Tuesday and already has a candidate in mind: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.).
Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump endorsed Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) on his media platform.
But Raskin said the house is “back in the state of nature” without a speaker and no ability to bring up any legislation. He said Speaker Pro Tem Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) only has the power to conduct an election.
“The Republicans are meeting to try and decide who their candidate is for speaker,” Raskin said. “The Democrats are meeting to ratify who we know our candidate is and that is Hakeem Jeffries. And presumably vote on this Wednesday or Thursday, depending on what kind of progress the Republicans make.”
To ensure the House isn’t without a speaker after Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) was ousted last week, Raskin said the chamber must change its rules to ensure that one member is no longer able to make a motion to vacate.
“Kevin McCarthy essentially set the table for his own toppling by the MAGA elements within the GOP caucus,” he said. “We saw the results of his constant appeasement of [Reps.] Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Green and the other fanatical elements within the Republican caucus, who report directly to Donald Trump.”
Raskin was preparing Monday for an on-stage conversation that night with Cassidy Hutchinson, the former special assistant to Trump who testified before the United States House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack.
“Unfortunately, we’re still in a political and constitutional emergency with all of Trump’s assaults on democratic institutions, including the justice system,” Raskin said. “He is attacking the judges in the various cases that have been brought against him by grand jury indictments from citizens around the country for his crime. He is entitled to the presumption of innocence and due process, but he has no right to defy judicial orders any more than any other criminal defendant does.”
Raskin offered some advice for those who remain undecided on whether to continue supporting Trump.
“We are in the fight of our lives to defend American democracy and democracy all over the world,” he said. “We have to stay very close to our constitution and to the rule of law to help us navigate through this crisis.”
