Elijah Cummings, the Maryland congressman and chairman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee, died Thursday from complications of long-term health issues. He was 68 years old.
Maryland Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, a sharecropper’s son who rose to become a civil rights champion and the powerful chairman of one of the U.S. House committees leading an impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump, died Thursday of complications from longstanding health problems. He was 68.
Cummings was a formidable orator who passionately advocated for the poor in his black-majority district , which encompasses a large portion of Baltimore as well as more well-to-do suburbs.
As chairman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee, Cummings led multiple investigations of the president’s governmental dealings, including probes in 2019 relating to the president’s family members serving in the White House.
Trump responded by criticizing the Democrat’s district as a “rodent-infested mess” where “no human being would want to live.” The comments came weeks after Trump drew bipartisan condemnation following his calls for Democratic congresswomen of color to get out of the U.S. “right now,” and go back to their “broken and crime-infested countries.”
Cummings replied that government officials must stop making “hateful, incendiary comments” that only serve to divide and distract the nation from its real problems, including mass shootings and white supremacy.
President Trump tweeted the following message about the news:
My warmest condolences to the family and many friends of Congressman Elijah Cummings. I got to see first hand the strength, passion and wisdom of this highly respected political leader. His work and voice on so many fronts will be very hard, if not impossible, to replace!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 17, 2019
Others are reacting to the news as well.
Speaker Pelosi has ordered the flags at the U.S. Capitol to be flown at half-staff due to the passing of Chairman Elijah Cummings.
— Drew Hammill (@Drew_Hammill) October 17, 2019
Rest In Power #ElijahCummings … Woke up this morning to learn of the heartbreaking loss of a beloved and great leader. At a time when principled, effective bipartisanship is almost nonexistent, this loss is especially devastating… pic.twitter.com/QgmVh2vu8B
— Van Jones (@VanJones68) October 17, 2019
We lost one of our best. A son of sharecroppers, who went on to represent one of our greatest cities; a fighter for justice, who always led with love—Rep. Elijah Cummings was everything right about America. He is already missed, but his legacy will be with us forever.
— Beto O'Rourke (@BetoORourke) October 17, 2019
We are struck this morning to hear the news about the passing of Congressman Elijah Cummings. His death is a tragedy not just for the city of Baltimore, but for our entire nation, and for all of those who fight for justice.https://t.co/2syNdZD3if
— Julián Castro (@JulianCastro) October 17, 2019
Today our country lost a true leader. Congressman Elijah Cummings was a friend, a passionate fighter for justice, and a powerful voice of moral conscience in our government who served his country for decades with dignity and integrity. I’m blessed to have known him. #RIPElijah
— Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) October 17, 2019
Disgusting headline this morning from @washingtonpost politicizing Elijah Cummings death. pic.twitter.com/w0eB8X4ca4
— Sara Gonzales (@SaraGonzalesTX) October 17, 2019
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