Jerry Nadler Stabbed In The Back By Longtime Colleague Jamie Raskin

Maryland Representative Jamie Raskin (D-MD) announced on Monday his bid to unseat Democrat Jerry Nadler (D-NY) as the party’s top voice on the House Judiciary Committee. The decision sets up a dramatic contest between two high-profile lawmakers, both vying for the influential ranking member position on one of Congress’s most powerful panels.

The announcement came as little surprise to insiders, as speculation about Raskin’s ambitions had been circulating for weeks. Still, the formal declaration immediately cast a spotlight on the brewing tensions within the Democratic caucus. Nadler, who has long served as the committee’s ranking member and was its chair during the Trump presidency, had announced his re-election bid for the position just last week. The rivalry now threatens to divide party loyalties and reshape the dynamics within the Democratic ranks.

Raskin, a constitutional law scholar known for his leadership on the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, made his intentions clear in a letter to colleagues on Monday. Framing himself as a progressive fighter with the experience and vision to tackle pressing judicial issues, Raskin emphasized the Judiciary Committee’s critical role in shaping the nation’s legal landscape.

New York, New YorkUSA – June 30, 2024: New York Congressman Jerry Nadler marching in the annual New York City Pride Parade in Midtown Manhattan.

“After a week consulting most of our Colleagues and engaging in serious introspection about where we are, I am running today to be your Ranking Member on the House Judiciary Committee in the 119th Congress,” wrote Raskin. “This is where we will wage our front-line defense of the freedoms and rights of the people, the integrity of the Department of Justice and the FBI, and the security of our most precious birthright possessions: the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, the rule of law, and democracy itself.”

WASHINGTON, DC – March 13, 2024: U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) speaks to reporters outside the U.S. Capitol.

House Democrats have actively contemplated the removal of several veteran leaders from key positions in the upcoming Congress. The shift is fueled by concerns that older members may struggle to effectively oppose President-elect Donald Trump and his staunch Republican supporters in Congress, according to The New York Times.

The discussion has intensified recently, with numerous Democrats privately urging Raskin to contend with Nadler for the role of lead Democrat on the Judiciary Committee. This move is prompted by the party’s worries that Nadler may not be able to adequately counter potential abuses of power by Trump.

Raskin has garnered a progressive following due to his role as the lead impeachment manager against Trump in 2021 and as the leading Democrat on the House committee that investigated the January 6 breach on the Capitol. Many of his colleagues view him as more aggressive and shrewd than Nadler in confronting Trump. Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi is among those who have privately encouraged him to challenge Mr. Nadler, according to sources familiar with the discussions who spoke to The Times.

However, at 77 years old, Nadler has firmly stated that he has no intention of stepping aside from his current role.

“As a New Yorker, I have stood up to Donald Trump my entire career,” Nadler wrote in his bid to seek re-election. “Prior to his entering politics, I worked to prevent him from abusing taxpayer dollars to line his own pockets. When he became President, I led the Judiciary Committee’s efforts to hold him accountable for his various abuses of power, culminating in two historic impeachments. I understand his playbook. I am well prepared to help thwart his plans to be a ‘Dictator on Day One.'”

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