People For Member,
The U.S. Senate failed to convict Trump, despite his clear guilt and a near-immaculate case laid out by the House impeachment managers.
Those managers deserve our gratitude, and none more so than the chief manager, who coordinated, led, and most forcefully articulated the devastating case against Trump: Rep. Jamie Raskin.
We at People For are especially proud of Rep. Raskin. He is a member of the family – a former senior fellow with us and a longtime friend of the organization. Rep. Raskin led his heroic defense of America just two months after the tragic loss of his son, whom his family buried the day before the attempted coup at the U.S. Capitol on January 6.
Rep. Raskin’s other adult children were with him in the Capitol that day – to witness democracy in action as the electoral college results were certified by Congress – and themselves survived the siege by Trump’s violent mob.
In the face of personal tragedy, Rep. Raskin returned to work to do the People’s business and defend our democracy. Following the events of January 6 and Trump’s subsequent impeachment by the House of Representatives, he once again showed his deep commitment to service in putting his vast skills and knowledge as a constitutional lawyer to work by accepting the role of chief impeachment manager.
Add your name now to thank Rep. Raskin and the other House impeachment managers>>
Clearly ignoring all evidence, a masterfully presented case by the prosecution, and any responsibility they should feel to upholding their oath of office, 43 far-right senators chose Trump over America, cowardice over the Constitution … they embraced a not-just-erroneous, but truly ridiculous, argument that their hands were tied and they simply couldn’t due their duty to hold Trump accountable now that he’s out of office, even though he was impeached when he was still president. And they signaled early on, before the trial even commenced, that this absurdly flimsy straw at which they grasped would be their refuge.
But even though the die had seemingly been cast before the trial began, the trial itself and the strong case that was made were vitally important for the historical record, to illustrate the need for accountability and the simple idea – that should not be controversial – that no president or elected official should be able to get away with inciting a violent insurrection against the U.S. in order to overturn the results of a free and fair election.
It’s the very case laid out by Rep. Raskin and his fellow managers in the trial that will also expose to history the vile cowardice and contempt for democracy expressed by the U.S. senators who chose to vote “not guilty.”
As climate activist Bill McKibben, writing for the New Yorker, beautifully noted:
“Raskin’s case was made for history – a case against Trump, and the next Trump, and the Trump after that, if we’re lucky enough to endure as a country to see those challenges. And, if we are that lucky, it will be because new generations of Raskins will keep standing up to power, very much in the progressive tradition that goes back to our founding.”
All of those who stand with us in the ongoing fight for accountability and the preservation of our democracy deserve a showing of our gratitude.
Let’s start by thanking Rep. Jamie Raskin and the other House impeachment managers today.
Bending the arc of the moral universe towards justice is hard work. We experience setbacks, but we are not deterred. A more perfect union, a stronger democracy, a more equitable society … these are within reach. We’ll get there together by not giving up and continuing to do the hard work.
Thank you for everything you do.
-- Ben Betz, Sr. Director, Digital/Organizing
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