The Truth About Stacey Plaskett

Jamie Raskin may have caught America's attention for his role as lead impeachment manager in the case against former President Donald Trump, but he's not taking on the task of arguing in support of the impeachment resolution on his own. He is working alongside a team of eight other House members including Stacey Plaskett, who is serving her fourth term in the House as the Representative for the At-Large District of the Virgin Islands (via CNN).

Of all the House impeachment managers to appear before the Senate, Plaskett's position is the most unique– and perhaps also the most frustrating. Because the U.S. Virgin Islands are not states, Plaskett, along with the representatives from American Samoa, the District of Columbia, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, and Puerto Rico are unable to cast any votes — even if they can introduce bills, speak on the floor, and present amendments (via Ballotpedia). Plaskett explains to The Politic that the virtual ban " ... is thanks to an early 20th century ruling that claims that those who come from U.S. territories "come from alien races and cannot understand Anglo-Saxon principles of law. So they should not be given the same rights and voting rights as regular citizens of the United States, but over a time period if we can educate them, possibly they could have those same rights."

Stacey Elizabeth Plaskett-Duffy (via Martindale) is the heroine of her own  fairy tale. She describes herself as "a young Black girl growing up in the projects in Brooklyn, a housing community on St. Croix, sent to the most unlikeliest of settings, and now as an adult woman representing an island territory speaking to the U.S. Senate" (via Vogue). After spending her childhood in St Croix she returned to the U.S. mainland where she went to the exclusive Choate Rosemary Hall, where she became A Better Chance Scholar (via Our Campaigns). From there she went to Georgetown University, where she received her undergraduate degree from the School of Foreign Service, and her law degree from American University's Washington College of Law (via her official bio). It was in law school where Plaskett met then Professor Jaime Raskin for the first time (via Politico). 

Plaskett has worked as an assistant district attorney in the Bronx DA's office, and as a senior counsel under Deputy Attorney General Larry Thompson, as well as his successor James Comey. After she returned to the Virgin Islands, she became the general counsel for the Virgin Islands Economic Development Authority.