House Judiciary Committee chairman Rep. Jerold Nadler was forced to miss Tuesday's House Rules Committee hearing as he rushed home to tend to his wife amid what was described as a family emergency.

Nadler, 72, last week shepherded through two impeachment articles after overseeing fractious televised hearings. Early Monday morning, Nadler's committee released a 658-page report calling for Trump's impeachment and laying out the Democratic case.

'We are all keeping him and his family in our thoughts and prayers,' said Rules chairman Rep. Jim McGovern of Massachusetts, as he informed lawmakers that Nadler would not be attending the last high-profile committee meeting before impeachment hits the floor Wednesday.

The House Judiciary Committee Jerry Nadler (D-NY) (

Standing in was Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin, who has taught constitutional law and serves on the Judiciary, Rules, and House Oversight Committee.

Raskin called it 'my solemn responsibility to be here this morning' to present the impeachment articles before the panel, a leadership-driven committee which sets the terms of floor debate.

Raskin also mentioned Nadler, and said he was 'sending strength love and prayers to chairman Nadler's wife Joyce and all of our hopes for a speedy recovery.'

Joyce Miller is a political consultant who has chaired Nadler's campaigns who is an adjunct professor teaching political affairs at Columbia University.

Aides called the matter a family emergency and said Nadler was expected back Wednesday, when he would play a prominent role managing the bill during floor debate.

Joyce Miller and Jerry Nadler attend 30th Anniversary Celebration of The River Project at Pier 40 on August 1, 2016 in New York City. Rep. Jamie Raskin wished a 'speedy recovery' to Nadler's wife

Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-MD, speaks during a meeting of a House Rules Committee hearing on the impeachment against President Donald Trump, December 17, 2019, on Capitol Hill in Washington,DC. He filled in for Nadler, who had a 'family emergency'

Although Nadler oversaw critical hearings last week, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi designated House Intelligence Committee chairman Rep. Adam Schiff of California to oversee the impeachment inquiry of the Ukraine matter.

Republican Rep. Doug Collins of Georgia, the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, lauded Raskin even as he said Judiciary had 'sidelined fine attorneys like himself' during the impeachment process.

'He’s actually a good one. He’s a good constitutional attorney,' said Collins, who himself practiced law in Georgia.

Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., prepares to address the media after the House Judiciary Committee passed two articles of impeachment against President Donald J. Trump on Friday, December 13, 2019. He is expected to return to the Capitol for the impeachment vote set to occur Wednesday

It didn't take long for Raskin to start using his background in constitutional law to turn the hearing into an impeachment seminar. Asked by McGovern why the Constitution has an impeachment clause, Raskin quoted American revolutionary Thomas Paine and spoke of impeachment of ministers under British law.

'The president is effectively an employee of the American people,' Raskin said.

The top Republican on Rules, Oklahoma Rep. Tom Cole expressed sympathy with Nadler during a 'difficult time' – but didn't refrain from bringing up Nadler's November 2016 post-election comments calling to 'do everything we can to stop Trump and his extreme agenda now,' as well as his comments criticizing the impeachment of Bill Clinton.