I think it’s wonderful that only 15 minutes after your post that there are hundreds of ‘be safe’ comments. You have created a great community. Stay warm, we’ll be here tomorrow.
Congressman Jamie Raskin made big news on the PCCC's Zoom call last night, telling over 800 people on Zoom and nearly 50,000 more watching on Facebook that the Jan 6 hearings "will be compared to the Watergate hearings because they are going to blow the roof off the House."
And that's not all. Here's more important news Jamie Raskin made last night while taking questions from PCCC members and discussing his book, his story, and the fight to preserve our democracy:
On prosecuting Trump: "The guy's a walking crime wave, and he has committed crimes all over the country…there will be a reckoning there."
On Jan 6 hearings in Congress: "We are going to do everything we can to subpoena all the information we need and to enforce our subpoenas. But even if we don't get every last person in there, we are going to have hearings that I believe will be compared to the Watergate hearings, because they are going to blow the roof off the House."
On the fight for our democracy: "Democracy is in peril in the United States of America…we're in the fight of our lives to defend democratic institutions and values with everything we've got."
On the filibuster: "The filibuster is not in the Constitution. In fact, it's completely antithetical to constitutional values...Could the Supreme Court say we're changing the rules and now you need seven votes in order to render a decision, or eight votes?"
Catch up on what you missed. Watch the PCCC's Zoom call here:
P.S. If you want Congressman Raskin to be able to focus on investigating Trump instead of fundraising for his re-election, chip in $3 to his 2022 campaign here:
P.P.S. RSVP here for the PCCC Meet the Candidates call with Attica Scott Thursday, January 20th at 7pm Eastern. Attica has battled Mitch McConnell in Kentucky for years as an organizer, activist, and state legislator. Now, she is running for a newly open, urban, democratic-leaning congressional seat in 2022 to bring the fight to McConnell in DC.
In this searing memoir, Congressman Jamie Raskin tells the story of the forty-five days at the start of 2021 that permanently changed his life--and his family's--as he confronted the painful loss of his son to suicide, lived through the violent insurrection in our nation's Capitol, and led the impeachment effort to hold President Trump accountable for inciting the political violence.
On December 31, 2020, Tommy Raskin, the only son of Maryland Congressman Jamie Raskin, tragically took his own life after a long struggle with depression. Seven days later on January 6, Congressman Raskin returned to Congress to help certify the 2020 Presidential election results, when violent insurrectionists led by right wing extremist groups stormed the U.S. Capitol hoping to hand four more years of power to President Donald Trump. As our reeling nation mourned the deaths of numerous people and lamented the injuries of more than 140 police officers hurt in the attack, Congressman Raskin, a Constitutional law professor, was called upon to put aside his overwhelming grief--both personal and professional--and lead the impeachment effort against President Trump for inciting the violence. Together this nine-member team of House impeachment managers riveted a nation still in anguish, putting on an unprecedented Senate trial that produced the most bipartisan Presidential impeachment vote in American history.
Now for the first time, Congressman Raskin discusses this unimaginable convergence of personal and public trauma, detailing how the painful loss of his son and the power of Tommy's convictions fueled the Congressman's work in the aftermath of modern democracy's darkest day. Going inside Congress on January 6, he recounts the horror of that day, a day that he and other Democrats had spent months preparing for under the correct assumption that they would encounter an attempted electoral coup--not against a President but for one. And yet, on January 6, he faced the one thing he had failed to anticipate: mass political violence designed to block Biden's election. With an inside account of leading the team prosecuting President Trump in the Senate, Congressman Raskin shares never before told stories of just how close we came to losing our democracy that fateful day and lays out the methodical prosecution that convinced Democrats and Republicans alike of Trump's responsibility for inciting insurrectionary violence against our government.
Through it all, he reckons with the loss of his brilliant, remarkable son, a Harvard Law student whose values and memory continually inspired the Congressman to confront the dark impulses unleashed by Donald Trump. At turns, a moving story of a father coping with his pain and a revealing examination of holding President Trump accountable for the violence he fomented, this book is a vital reminder of the ongoing struggle for the soul of American democracy and the perseverance that our Constitution demands from us all."
Thanks! So good to hear this positive outlook. I’ll check out the zoom. And donate . Just listened to Adam Schiff read his book Midnight In Washington and liked it a lot.
Heather, you have my thoughts and understanding. I live in Nova Scotia, and it is wild here! Very high winds and gusts, horrendous rain and freezing rain just starting. Temperature just around freezing, and headed waaaay down overnight. Windchill currently is 16F, heading to -40!! So, please stay safe, and keep your computer dry and unplugged!
Oh you poor chilly Ppl. I would parish. It’s said we Floridians have thinner blood from living here. Have know idea but that is to cold for me. I thought our weather guy was exaggerating saying those low temps. Burrrr !
Marcia, indeed you Floridians and many others in the southern part of this continent are known to have "thinner blood." Those in Arizona, southern California, and many places. I notice it here when we've had a particularly warm or hot summer, and then it's September and then later, and it takes a while for my body to get used to it. By the way, the temperature this morning is 11degrees F! Wind chill minus 11. Poor Heather! It's even colder where she is!!
You deserve a night (or many nights!) just sitting in front of a warm fire and a good night’s sleep. You have been doing yeoman’s work since you started Letters From an American and I suspect previously, as well. I am deeply appreciative of your brilliant, courageous work.Take the night off and stay safe.
Hey Doc, “Take your pack off and smoke-’em if you got-‘em. This is advice i learned and used about 55 years ago. Do not put yourself at risk. We all will be fine if you miss sending out your letter for a few days as long as we know you are OK! ⚡️💥
Me too, same time same place, I suspect. But learned it was better to smoke 'em with the pack still on, 'cuz it was a drag to pick that sucker up and put it back on when the feces hit the fan two minutes later.
You are an anchor in the worst of storms for many of us, on a daily basis. Please stay as safe as you can!
👍
Please be cautious, prudent. You and family are added to my prayers, Pastor Stephen
Maybe just do a Post Card From An American?
A text!
😍
😂
😄
Ha!
Hey there Roland!
Looks like she did! See message above.
No, we got the full letter and then some. ;-)
Ha,ha,ha!
I think there is one "ha" too many. ;-)
Bwahaha!!
"Aw shucks" he said, "rubbing his toe in the dirt"
Yes!
I think it’s wonderful that only 15 minutes after your post that there are hundreds of ‘be safe’ comments. You have created a great community. Stay warm, we’ll be here tomorrow.
Please stay safe - it won't kill us to miss a letter or two here and there, but we'd be devastated to lose *you* (and Buddy's awesome photos) forever
Heather, stay safe. That's the priority.
You do know how much we care about you, as well as your Letters. Stay warm. We'll look forward to hearing from you on the other side of the storm.
Stay safe and warm. You are a national treasure.
1/14/2022
Congressman Jamie Raskin made big news on the PCCC's Zoom call last night, telling over 800 people on Zoom and nearly 50,000 more watching on Facebook that the Jan 6 hearings "will be compared to the Watergate hearings because they are going to blow the roof off the House."
And that's not all. Here's more important news Jamie Raskin made last night while taking questions from PCCC members and discussing his book, his story, and the fight to preserve our democracy:
On prosecuting Trump: "The guy's a walking crime wave, and he has committed crimes all over the country…there will be a reckoning there."
On Jan 6 hearings in Congress: "We are going to do everything we can to subpoena all the information we need and to enforce our subpoenas. But even if we don't get every last person in there, we are going to have hearings that I believe will be compared to the Watergate hearings, because they are going to blow the roof off the House."
On the fight for our democracy: "Democracy is in peril in the United States of America…we're in the fight of our lives to defend democratic institutions and values with everything we've got."
On the filibuster: "The filibuster is not in the Constitution. In fact, it's completely antithetical to constitutional values...Could the Supreme Court say we're changing the rules and now you need seven votes in order to render a decision, or eight votes?"
Catch up on what you missed. Watch the PCCC's Zoom call here:
https://secure.actblue.com/donate/pccc_2022_jamieraskin_zoomvideo
P.S. If you want Congressman Raskin to be able to focus on investigating Trump instead of fundraising for his re-election, chip in $3 to his 2022 campaign here:
https://secure.actblue.com/donate/pccc_2022_jamieraskin
P.P.S. RSVP here for the PCCC Meet the Candidates call with Attica Scott Thursday, January 20th at 7pm Eastern. Attica has battled Mitch McConnell in Kentucky for years as an organizer, activist, and state legislator. Now, she is running for a newly open, urban, democratic-leaning congressional seat in 2022 to bring the fight to McConnell in DC.
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAlc-uqrzItHtTRhTJ49p66xTcggQcfZrMJ
Unthinkable: Trauma, Truth, and the Trials of American Democracy
Jamie Raskin (Author)
Book: https://bookshop.org/books/unthinkable-trauma-truth-and-the-trials-of-american-democracy-9798200879892/9780063209787
Audible: https://www.audiobooksnow.com/audiobook/unthinkable/5822620/
"Description
In this searing memoir, Congressman Jamie Raskin tells the story of the forty-five days at the start of 2021 that permanently changed his life--and his family's--as he confronted the painful loss of his son to suicide, lived through the violent insurrection in our nation's Capitol, and led the impeachment effort to hold President Trump accountable for inciting the political violence.
On December 31, 2020, Tommy Raskin, the only son of Maryland Congressman Jamie Raskin, tragically took his own life after a long struggle with depression. Seven days later on January 6, Congressman Raskin returned to Congress to help certify the 2020 Presidential election results, when violent insurrectionists led by right wing extremist groups stormed the U.S. Capitol hoping to hand four more years of power to President Donald Trump. As our reeling nation mourned the deaths of numerous people and lamented the injuries of more than 140 police officers hurt in the attack, Congressman Raskin, a Constitutional law professor, was called upon to put aside his overwhelming grief--both personal and professional--and lead the impeachment effort against President Trump for inciting the violence. Together this nine-member team of House impeachment managers riveted a nation still in anguish, putting on an unprecedented Senate trial that produced the most bipartisan Presidential impeachment vote in American history.
Now for the first time, Congressman Raskin discusses this unimaginable convergence of personal and public trauma, detailing how the painful loss of his son and the power of Tommy's convictions fueled the Congressman's work in the aftermath of modern democracy's darkest day. Going inside Congress on January 6, he recounts the horror of that day, a day that he and other Democrats had spent months preparing for under the correct assumption that they would encounter an attempted electoral coup--not against a President but for one. And yet, on January 6, he faced the one thing he had failed to anticipate: mass political violence designed to block Biden's election. With an inside account of leading the team prosecuting President Trump in the Senate, Congressman Raskin shares never before told stories of just how close we came to losing our democracy that fateful day and lays out the methodical prosecution that convinced Democrats and Republicans alike of Trump's responsibility for inciting insurrectionary violence against our government.
Through it all, he reckons with the loss of his brilliant, remarkable son, a Harvard Law student whose values and memory continually inspired the Congressman to confront the dark impulses unleashed by Donald Trump. At turns, a moving story of a father coping with his pain and a revealing examination of holding President Trump accountable for the violence he fomented, this book is a vital reminder of the ongoing struggle for the soul of American democracy and the perseverance that our Constitution demands from us all."
Thanks for posting that review. I am four hours into the Audible version and can say it is a terrific book. It is sad but hopeful.
Brilliant.
"The guy's a walking crime wave..."
Yes he is. Can't wait to hear the charges.
Thanks! So good to hear this positive outlook. I’ll check out the zoom. And donate . Just listened to Adam Schiff read his book Midnight In Washington and liked it a lot.
Sorry to be uninformed but what is PCCCs Zoom?
PCCC is the Progressive Change Campaign Committee PAC - it was a Zoom call.
Prayers for your safety and a hearty thanks for daily saving my sanity!
Heather, you have my thoughts and understanding. I live in Nova Scotia, and it is wild here! Very high winds and gusts, horrendous rain and freezing rain just starting. Temperature just around freezing, and headed waaaay down overnight. Windchill currently is 16F, heading to -40!! So, please stay safe, and keep your computer dry and unplugged!
Oh you poor chilly Ppl. I would parish. It’s said we Floridians have thinner blood from living here. Have know idea but that is to cold for me. I thought our weather guy was exaggerating saying those low temps. Burrrr !
Marcia, indeed you Floridians and many others in the southern part of this continent are known to have "thinner blood." Those in Arizona, southern California, and many places. I notice it here when we've had a particularly warm or hot summer, and then it's September and then later, and it takes a while for my body to get used to it. By the way, the temperature this morning is 11degrees F! Wind chill minus 11. Poor Heather! It's even colder where she is!!
You deserve a night (or many nights!) just sitting in front of a warm fire and a good night’s sleep. You have been doing yeoman’s work since you started Letters From an American and I suspect previously, as well. I am deeply appreciative of your brilliant, courageous work.Take the night off and stay safe.
Hey Doc, “Take your pack off and smoke-’em if you got-‘em. This is advice i learned and used about 55 years ago. Do not put yourself at risk. We all will be fine if you miss sending out your letter for a few days as long as we know you are OK! ⚡️💥
THAT Hale Irwin?!?
Just read your profile. Not THAT Hale Irwin. I like you anyway!
I have been asked that since we were both in College He was all american football at Colorado
Me too, same time same place, I suspect. But learned it was better to smoke 'em with the pack still on, 'cuz it was a drag to pick that sucker up and put it back on when the feces hit the fan two minutes later.
Batten down, light the candles and the fire, and know you are cherished.
Stay safe Heather. It’s so heartening that you wrote to let us know what was happening. Amazing how you hold your end of the rope! Take care.
Be safe Heather & Buddy! That is more important than writing the Letter could ever be.
Keep safe and warm! Really do love you and your insights and presentations with a historical perspective.