Jamie Raskin tapped to lead Democrats on House Oversight Committee

House Democrats on Thursday chose Maryland Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin to serve as the party's top lawmaker on the House Oversight Committee in the next Congress.

In a 133-75 vote, Democratic lawmakers backed him for the key post, positioning him to lead the Democratic defense to the litany of investigations House Republicans have planned to conduct into the party and the Biden family, according to the Washington Examiner. Virginia Democratic Rep. Gerry Connolly had challenged him for the post.

Kentucky Republican Rep. James Comer will serve as the committee chairman. He has previously vowed to investigate possible government involvement in the suppression of the Hunter Biden laptop story prior to the 2020 presidential election and has openly criticized alleged corrupt dealings involving the Biden family.

Raskin's ascent is somewhat unusual in that Connolly is the party's more senior member and lawmakers traditionally opt to appoint elder statesmen to critical committee positions. The Maryland Democrat rose to prominence as the lead impeachment manager during the second unsuccessful effort to convict former President Donald Trump in the Senate, this time after he had already left office. 

The Democratic leadership post will soon become available with the departure of Democratic New York Rep. Carolyn Maloney, who lost a primary to fellow New York Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler after the two were forced to run in the same district due to New York losing a seat in congressional reapportionment. Maloney has chaired the committee since 2019.