Jamie Raskin, a Democrat from the state of Maryland, has just made his opening remarks. He is the main questioner today and is known for his persistent efforts to hold Trump responsible for the riots on Capitol Hill. Specifically, he served as the lead prosecutor in Trump’s second impeachment trial. In that trial, Trump was impeached by the House for “inciting sedition” but not convicted by the Senate. Raskin, 59, is leading the inquest for today’s hearing. In a June interview with The New York Times, he said the committee had gathered evidence from more than 1,000 witnesses with findings that would “blow the roof off the House.” In addition, Raskin – a member of the House since 2017 – is known for his work to combat white nationalism and other forms of domestic extremism. He has said he began following the issue after the infamous Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia in 2017. In an interview with The New York Times, Raskin said the rally was “a rude awakening for the country.” “There is a real pattern of young, white men rising up with racist provocations and incitements,” he added.
