THOUGHTS & PRAYERS: Prominent Jan. 6 committee member makes devastating health announcement
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), a prominent member of the House Select Committee on January 6th, confirmed on Wednesday that he has cancer. The 60-year-old four-term congressman announced he’s been diagnosed with lymphoma.
Nearly two years since the heartbreaking death of his son, the Raskin family is facing another potential tragedy.
“After several days of tests, I have been diagnosed with Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma, which is a serious but curable form of cancer,” Raskin wrote in a statement on the representative’s official House of Representatives website.
“My love and solidarity go out to other families managing cancer or any other health condition in this holiday season—and all the doctors, nurses and medical personnel who provide us comfort and hope.”
Elected to represent Maryland’s eighth district in 2016, Rep. Raskin was relatively unknown outside of the beltway before he was appointed the lead impeachment manager for the Senate trial during the second impeachment of Donald Trump.
The appointment came at a difficult time for Raskin, since less than a week before Trump incited a mob to attack the seat of this country’s democracy on January 6th, the respected lawmaker’ 25-year-old son Tommy took his own life
Raskin – whose family was visiting his Capitol Hill office on the day of the violent attack – gave a powerful closing speech that outlined the integral role Trump’s rhetoric played in lighting the fuse that set into motion the actions of an angry and delusional mob.
Recently appointed to be the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, Raskin plans to continue his duties.
“With the benefit of early detection and fine doctors, the help of my extraordinary staff, the love of Sarah and our daughters and sons-in-law (actual and to-be) and family and friends, and the support of my beloved constituents and my colleagues in the House, I plan to get through this and, in the meantime, to keep making progress every day in Congress for American democracy.
“I expect to be able to work through this period,” the congressman said. “Prognosis for most people in my situation is excellent after four months of treatment.”
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