Maryland Democrat Jamie Raskin, who once served on the disbanded House select committee responsible for investigating the Capitol attack on January 6, 2021, targeted John Lauro, an attorney representing former President Trump.
He criticized Lauro’s statement that a “technical violation” of the Constitution does not amount to a breach of criminal law.
On NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Raskin sharply criticized the argument that former President Donald Trump merely exercised his First Amendment rights in the days following the 2020 election and did not break any laws. He labeled this notion as “a deranged argument.”
In discussing the indictment related to the January 6 events, Raskin emphasized, “The Constitution, in no less than six locations, speaks against insurrection, classifying it as a grave constitutional incident. Our nation’s foundational document is crafted to prevent attempts to overturn elections or the government. Moreover, we have an entire criminal legal system in place to reinforce this constitutional precept.”
Raskin elaborated on the charges against Trump, saying, “What Donald Trump is accused of is conspiring to cheat the American people out of an honest election. He sought to replace the legitimate legal process established under federal and state laws with false electors.
It’s worth noting that some individuals have been imprisoned for several years for forging a single vote. If attempting to vote illegally once is a crime, then trying to hijack the whole election is a far greater offense. Yet his lawyers are presenting this as merely an exercise of his First Amendment rights. This stance is not only mistaken; it is deranged.”
Raskin referred to Trump’s second impeachment trial in 2021, in which the Senate, needing a two-thirds majority to convict, voted 57-43 to acquit Trump. At that time, Raskin contended, Trump managed to evade the rule of law. However, he now believes the situation has changed. “I believe that Trump has encountered his equal in a special counsel who is strictly enforcing the letter of the criminal law,” Raskin stated.
