Louisiana Democratic Rep. Cedric Richmond resigned from the House seat that he has held for 10 years ahead of starting a top advisory role in President-elect Joe Biden’s White House, which temporarily makes the House Democrats’ narrow majority even thinner.
Richmond is set to begin on Jan. 20 as a senior adviser and director of the Office of Public Engagement.
“New Orleans will always be home, but it is time to represent my community in a different way,” Richmond wrote in a letter read by the House clerk during a pro forma session Friday morning.
A five-term congressman, Richmond was a member of the House Ways and Means and Judiciary committees. He was a member of the New Democrat Coalition and served as the House Democratic assistant to the majority whip and also headed up the Congressional Black Caucus as its chairman.
Richmond delivered his final floor remarks last Thursday when House lawmakers debated one another over the second impeachment of President Trump.
“Some of my colleagues, some of which may well be co-conspirators … let me suggest to them: Stand up, man up, woman up, and defend this Constitution from all enemies foreign and domestic, including Donald J. Trump,” Richmond said.
“In the first impeachment, Republicans said we didn’t need to impeach him, because he learned his lesson,” he said of Trump. “Well, we said if we didn’t remove him, he would do it again. Simply put — we told you so.”
Richmond is sure to be succeeded by a Democrat in his New Orleans-based seat. But that process could take three or four months. Meanwhile, House Democrats hold a House majority of only 221 to 211 Republicans, with three seats open. Three seats are empty.
