It was announced on Thursday that long-time Arizona Congressman Raul Grijalva has passed away after a battle with cancer. Grijalva had served Arizona's 7th district since 2003. The Democratic Representative was a champion of the environment and other progressive policies. He leaves behind a wife and three children.
Raul Grijalva was 77 years old.
House members are saddened to hear of the passing of Congressman Raul Grijalva, who served his constituents faithfully in Congress for more than two decades.
— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) March 13, 2025
Our prayers are with Raul’s wife, Ramona, his three children, and the people of Arizona’s 7th district.
Soon after the announcement, many who knew or served with the congressman posted condolences.
Joe and I send our condolences to the family of Congressman Raul Grijalva on his passing.
— Debbie Lesko (@DebbieLesko) March 13, 2025
This is my representative, and although we knew this was coming, it’s still an awful blow for Arizona. He will be missed https://t.co/Mdz5NJttfP
— Shannon (@gardengirl125) March 13, 2025
A few hours later, something very unusual happened. Raul Grijalva posted on X.
President Trump’s latest reckless decision to fire thousands of employees at the Department of Education jeopardizes critical student aid programs, weakens protections for students’ civil rights, and undermines essential support for students with disabilities. This move severely…
— Raul M. Grijalva (@RepRaulGrijalva) March 13, 2025
Understandably, folks were befuddled. The progressive Democrat was no fan of the Trump Administration or DOGE, but was he so impassioned that he was continuing to resist from beyond the grave?
President Trump’s latest reckless decision to fire thousands of employees at the Department of Education jeopardizes critical student aid programs, weakens protections for students’ civil rights, and undermines essential support for students with disabilities. This move severely threatens every child’s access to a quality education nationwide.
Trump and Musk are prioritizing tax cuts for the wealthy over the future of our students. It’s selfish, and it’s illegal. This radical gutting of the Department will mean funding cuts for every student:
- 26 million kids across every school district—rural, suburban and urban—will lose access to critical funding to help them get succeed.
- 12 million students will lose access to career and technical education, including pathways to good-paying jobs through apprenticeship programs in trades and STEM careers.
- 10 million students from low-income families could lose access to higher education.
- 7.5 million students with Individualized Education Plans—accounting for 15 percent of all students nationwide —will lose access to special education services.
For believers in the paranormal, Washington, D.C., has long been considered one of America's most haunted cities. Winston Churchill famously claimed to have had a conversation with the ghost of Abraham Lincoln. As Churchill tells it, he had just finished a bath (and a few fingers of good scotch) when the spectral form of the 16th president appeared to him in the Lincoln Bedroom where the British Prime Minister was staying. 'Good evening, Mr. President. You seem to have me at a disadvantage,' quipped Churchill as he stood naked before the apparition with a freshly lit cigar. He said Lincoln smiled and then disappeared. Churchill would visit the White House several times after his encounter but refused to stay in the Lincoln Bedroom.
For generations, the deceased have been one of the Democrats' most reliable voting blocks. Are recently departed Democrats now debating policy from the afterlife?
Wow, so now Democrats not only vote after they die, but they can tweet too?
— Your Highness Chrispy (@candyisyummy333) March 14, 2025
What in the https://t.co/HkrHoKCuye
Dead people don’t just vote for democrats. They also post from the grave.
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) March 13, 2025
Like the graveyard voters, Raul Grijalva's X post was not paranormal. It's just really hard to find good help in D.C. these days.
This guy was literally dead when his staff wrote this tweet and sent it out for him.
— Joey Mannarino (@JoeyMannarinoUS) March 13, 2025
That’s how fake the Democrat Party is.
Whoever wrote the above post is impersonating a deceased Congressman
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 14, 2025
Whichever intern is writing this is just plain cold & didn’t respect Congressman Grijalva
— SeldenGADawgs (@SeldenGADawgs) March 14, 2025
We will probably never find out if the staffer who posted this did so out of incompetence or poor taste. We hope they leave social media (and voting) to the living in the future.
Rest well, Mr. Grijalva. May your memory be a blessing to all who loved you.
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