Rep. Jamie Raskin Recollects Son’s Suicide Simply Days Earlier than Jan. 6 Capitol Insurrection

In an emotional sit-down interview, Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) spread out in regards to the demise of his son through suicide simply days earlier than the Jan. 6 revolt on the U.S. Capitol and the way as a part of the Area committee investigating the assault he received’t let “American democracy pass down the tubes.”

“I’ve already misplaced my son, the item Most worthy to me, however I’m no longer going to peer American democracy pass down the tubes. We’re within the struggle of our lives to protect American democracy,” he stated in an interview that aired Sunday with CBS’s “Sunday Morning.”

Raskin’s son, Tommy, died through suicide on Dec. 31, 2020, on the age of 25 after suffering with psychological sickness. It adopted a specifically tricky 12 months for the Harvard Legislation College pupil, who was once taking categories remotely because of the pandemic and was once specifically shaken through the violent demise of George Floyd through police and the relentless false election claims through President Donald Trump, his father stated.

“The darkness of the time overcame him,” stated Raskin, who stated he discovered his son useless, together with a observe.

“Please forgive me. My sickness received as of late. Please take care of every different, the animals, and the worldwide deficient for me. All my love, Tommy,” the letter learn.

So when 1000’s of protesters stormed the U.S. Capitol simply someday after Tommy Raskin’s burial and referred to as for the striking of then-Vice President Mike Pence ― prompting the senator’s colleagues to fervently pray and textual content their family members, as Raskin recalled whilst talking to the Senate again in February ― Raskin huddled with different lawmakers however stated he was once devoid of worry.

“I didn’t really feel any worry all the time and I believe that was once on account of Tommy. The very worst factor that might ever occur to me already came about,” he stated.

Raskin in his interview credited Pence as “a hero” that day for refusing Trump’s order to reject Joe Biden’s certification. Up till that time, Raskin stated, he believes Pence “went together with means an excessive amount of throughout the Trump management. However on that day, he was once a constitutional patriot.”

Raskin’s interview comes forward of the discharge of his memoir, “Unthinkable,” on Tuesday, which recollects his circle of relatives’s enjoy grappling along with his son’s suicide and the violent revolt.