RIP Rep. Elijah Cummings

[lpetrich]

Rep. Elijah Cummings dies at 68 - The Washington Post

Elijah E. Cummings, a Democratic congressman from Maryland who gained national attention for his principled stands on politically charged issues in the House, his calming effect on anti-police riots in Baltimore, and his forceful opposition to the presidency of Donald Trump, died Oct. 17 at a hospice center in Baltimore. He was 68.

The cause was “complications concerning long-standing health challenges,” his office said in a statement. Mr. Cummings was chairman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee and a leading figure in the Trump impeachment inquiry and had been out of his office for weeks while recovering from an unspecified medical procedure.

Born in 1951, he helped integrate a local swimming pool at age 11, despite bottles and rocks thrown at him. Inspired by the TV show "Perry Mason", he became a lawyer. In 1983, he went into politics in Maryland's House of Delegates, and in 1996, he got into the US House of Representatives. Early this year, he became head of the House Oversight and Reform Committee.

In April 2015, a certain Freddy Gray died in police custody in Baltimore.

Gray died of injuries suffered while riding, improperly secured, in a police van after he was arrested for carrying a knife, in his pocket, that police said was illegal. His death ignited rioting in Baltimore and elevated tensions nationally over perceived racism and excessive violence in law enforcement.

Speaking at the funeral, Mr. Cummings, who lived near where Gray was arrested, bemoaned the presence of media to chronicle Gray’s death without celebrating his life.

“Did you see him? Did you see him?” Mr. Cummings asked in his booming baritone. The church exploded with applause, and civil rights activist Jesse L. Jackson sat, rapt, behind him. “Did you see him?”

“I’ve often said, our children are the living messages we send to a future we will never see,” he said, his voice rising. “But now our children are sending us to a future they will never see! There’s something wrong with that picture!”

When riots started, EC showed up and tried to calm people down.

About Hillary Clinton and Benghazi, he stated that his primary purpose was not to defend Sec'y Clinton but to get "the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth."

Mr. Cummings said his efforts to work with Trump and members the GOP majority in the House were fruitless. He said that at the luncheon after Trump’s inauguration and during other encounters, he urged the president to pursue policies that could unite the country and burnish his legacy. The congressman said that after a few promising meetings, he stopped hearing from Trump.

“Perhaps if I knew then what I know now, I wouldn’t have had a lot of hope,” Mr. Cummings later remarked. “He is a man who quite often calls the truth a lie and calls a lie the truth.”

He opposed the Trump administration to add a citizenship question to the census, and he opposed the separation of thousands of immigrant children from their parents on the southern border.

In turn, the president went on a Twitter tirade against Mr. Cummings and described his majority black Baltimore district as a “disgusting, rat and rodent infested mess” and suggested the congressman focus his efforts on cleaning up “this very dangerous & filthy place.”

Mr. Cummings’ response was not to dignify the attack, instead telling an audience at the National Press Club in Washington: “Those at the highest levels of government must stop invoking fear, using racist language and encouraging reprehensible behavior. As a country, we finally must say that enough is enough. That we are done with the hateful rhetoric.”

 

[hurtinbuckaroo]

He'll be missed by people who want all Americans to be treated with respect.

Meanwhile, at the Orange House, they're probably celebrating.

 

[lpetrich]

Barack Obama on Twitter: "Michelle and I are heartbroken over the passing of our friend, Elijah Cummings. May his example inspire more Americans to pick up the baton and carry it forward in a manner worthy of his service. https://t.co/lM2rES3PNV" / Twitter

Kamala Harris on Twitter: "We lost a giant today. Congressman Elijah Cummings was a fearless leader, a protector of democracy, and a fighter for the people of Maryland. Our world is dimmer without him in it." / Twitter

Ayanna Pressley on Twitter: "Our Chairman leaves behind a beautiful and powerful legacy. I am already feeling the impact of a little less grace in the world. Deep gratitude to have spent these early months in Congress guided by his wisdom. Rest in power @RepCummings https://t.co/n4ekGvhAVx" / Twitter

Including an image file with these words from his widow, Dr. Maya Rockeymoore Cummings: "He worked until his last breath because he believed our democracy was the highest and best expression of our collective humanity and that our nation's diversity was our promise, not our problem."

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "A devastating loss for our country.
Chairman Cummings was a giant: a universally respected leader who brought profound insight, commitment, and moral fortitude to Congress.
His guidance and vision was an enormous gift. I will forever cherish his example. May he rest in power. https://t.co/D0RsKsM5fh" / Twitter

She said about him earlier:

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "Let me tell you a story about Chairman @RepCummings.
Before new members are assigned to Congressional committees, we have to make our case to the chair.
Chairman Cummings was TOUGH. I sat down in his office to make my case for Oversight, and I was quite nervous. https://t.co/u1mRAR5epX" / Twitter

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "He looked right at me & said: “I am going to ask you plainly: Are you here to do the work?”
People’s lives are at stake in urgent ways on Oversight. He demanded excellence, & was watching my every word.
I said “Yes” &made my best case incl why & how I wanted to be on the cmte." / Twitter

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "By the end of the mtg, I had no idea if I made the cut.
If you look at Oversight, it includes many all-stars of Congress.
From @RepRaskin to @RoKhanna, Cummings is a legendary coach who brings the best out of everyone.
He makes the country better. You want to be on his team." / Twitter

Twitter hashtag: #RIPElijah

 

[lpetrich]

 Elijah Cummings on Wikipedia

Donald J. Trump on Twitter: "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!" / Twitter

Though I have to ask who wrote that tweet - it seems so atypical. I call it that because of some tweets before and after:

Donald J. Trump on Twitter: "Nancy Pelosi needs help fast! There is either something wrong with her “upstairs,” or she just plain doesn’t like our great Country. She had a total meltdown in the White House today. It was very sad to watch. Pray for her, she is a very sick person!" / Twitter

Donald J. Trump on Twitter: "I am the only person who can fight for the safety of our troops & bring them home from the ridiculous & costly Endless Wars, and be scorned. Democrats always liked that position, until I took it. Democrats always liked Walls, until I built them. Do you see what’s happening here?" / Twitter

 

[Tom Sawyer]

That's too bad. He seemed like a decent guy.

 

[Worldtraveller]

That's too bad. He seemed like a decent guy.

One of the few in congress.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Yeah, Trump’s fingerprints are not on that Tweet.

 

[lpetrich]

Yeah, Trump’s fingerprints are not on that Tweet.

Angela Belcamino on Twitter: "@realDonaldTrump No random capital letters, no ALL CAPS, no punctuation mistakes or grammatical errors...
To write something like this, you'd have to have an education and a heart and we all know you don't have either.
#FAKETWEET" / Twitter

deb trepasso boillot on Twitter: "@AngelaBelcamino @realDonaldTrump And full sentences" / Twitter

Summer on Twitter: "@twit4bwains @AngelaBelcamino @realDonaldTrump He wrote it - note his signature commas and !" / Twitter

Juliann on Twitter: "@realDonaldTrump Your staffer/s who crafted this thoughtful message should’ve written the Erdoğan letter for you, too. The great Elijah Cummings’ legacy will be a bright light in this dark period in our nation’s history." / Twitter

Ash1022 on Twitter: "@itsJeffTiedrich @realDonaldTrump I seriously doubt he wrote this. Someone on his staff did this for him. He is incapable of compassion or empathy and he cannot put 2 words together that doesn’t sound like he’s still in elementary school." / Twitter

Steward Beckham on Twitter: "@realDonaldTrump Thank You Trump intern for writing this. Now go check on the hamberder, while the rest of us revere this great American hero." / Twitter

 

[southernhybrid]

This was the first thing I read when I got up early this morning. It's the first time in my life that the death of a Congressman brought a few tears to my eyes.

 

[lpetrich]

Another Twitter hashtag: #RIPElijahCummings

Lesley Abravanel on Twitter: "@realDonaldTrump When we’re dancing with the angels, the question we’ll be asked: In 2019, what did we do to make sure we kept our democracy intact? Did we stand on the sidelines and say nothing?—#RIPElijahCummings #PelosiOwnsTrump" / Twitter

Mother Jones on Twitter: "Stop what you are doing and watch this speech. The last words from Elijah Cummings' 92-year-old mother were, “Do not let them take the vote away from us.”
“There are efforts to stop people from voting. That's not right! This is not Russia. This is the United States of America!” https://t.co/9FeDyjjVIa" / Twitter

NowThis on Twitter: "
‘I only have a minute,
60 seconds in it,
forced upon me,
I did not choose it,
but I know that I must use it,
give account if I abuse it,
suffer if I lose it.
Only a tiny little minute,
but eternity is in it.’
— Rep. Elijah Cummings’ first floor speech is all too resonant today https://t.co/RkqnTanv83" / Twitter

NowThis on Twitter: "‘We are so much better than this.’ — In February, Chairman Elijah Cummings concluded the Michael Cohen hearing by applauding Cohen's bravery and urging the country to do better for the next generation. Cummings has died at 68. https://t.co/GMWG4rGwAc" / Twitter

 

[Don2 (Don1 Revised)]

 Elijah Cummings on Wikipedia

Donald J. Trump on Twitter: "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!" / Twitter

Though I have to ask who wrote that tweet - it seems so atypical. I call it that because of some tweets before and after:

Donald J. Trump on Twitter: "Nancy Pelosi needs help fast! There is either something wrong with her “upstairs,” or she just plain doesn’t like our great Country. She had a total meltdown in the White House today. It was very sad to watch. Pray for her, she is a very sick person!" / Twitter

Donald J. Trump on Twitter: "I am the only person who can fight for the safety of our troops & bring them home from the ridiculous & costly Endless Wars, and be scorned. Democrats always liked that position, until I took it. Democrats always liked Walls, until I built them. Do you see what’s happening here?" / Twitter

There's also his past fights with Cummings:
https://www.baltimoresun.com/politi...0191017-7olud2ux7rgehh4ow6wjoxno6m-story.html

You can take your pick out of there.

 

[Toni]

I was stunned when I read of his passing.

Tremendous loss for his family and for our nation.

 

[Politesse]

A devastating loss to our country. A diplomat and a warrior both, as needed by the situation. Moral character of iron in a town that is usually deficient of it altogether. I've no idea who could possibly fill his shoes on Oversight.

 

[Cheerful Charlie]

A big loss for America. Now the question is, who will replace him as the committee chair position he held in these turbulent days? His big shoes are going to be hard to fill.

 

[lpetrich]

Hillary Clinton on Twitter: "America lost a giant with the passing of Rep. Elijah Cummings, a man of principle who championed truth, justice and kindness. He fiercely loved his country and the people he served. Rest In Peace, my friend." / Twitter

Ayanna Pressley on Twitter: "As I was paying my respects to our forever Chairman, his staff told me that in his final hours he signed subpoenas to USCIS and ICE, pursuing justice for immigrants in my district & across the country with chronic medical conditions. A man of his word every moment of his life. https://t.co/igzUPl1yPF" / Twitter

Nancy Pelosi on Twitter: "When Chairman Elijah Cummings spoke, America listened. He pushed each and every one of his colleagues to work for a higher purpose. May we all seek to follow his example. https://t.co/pYgeNqpvko" / Twitter

Nancy Pelosi on Twitter: "The House has lost our North Star. Chairman Elijah Cummings was a leader of towering character & integrity. His wisdom, his warm friendship and his great humanity will be deeply missed. Rest in peace, my friend. [url]https://t.co/WP0830KCkV https://t.co/Hx8RFIWFPC" / Twitter[/url]

Nancy Pelosi on Twitter: "I am speaking with reporters live from the U.S. Capitol as the Congress mourns the loss of @OversightDems Chairman Elijah Cummings. https://t.co/5VvDKV6pq8" / Twitter

 

[lpetrich]

In photos: The life and work of Rep. Elijah Cummings - Axios

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Instagram: “Chairman Elijah Cummings was a hero. Just watch any video of him in any hearing and you will understand the power, dignity, and moral…”

Chairman Elijah Cummings was a hero. Just watch any video of him in any hearing and you will understand the power, dignity, and moral fortitude he brought to our country.
.
Chairman Cummings was a transformational leader: the son of sharecroppers who became a United States Congressman. I feel a profound sense of gratitude to have breathed the same air and walked the same rooms as him. In a Congress whose culture is preoccupied with seniority and tenure, Chairman Cummings was uniquely focused on the next generation. Despite having so much stature and power, he had absolutely zero ego. None. He constantly looked to uplift the communities and people whose stories were overlooked and underserved. He was tough and compassionate, and always reminded people that they were never too late to do good.
.
Chairman Cummings’ insight mattered deeply to me. His moral compass was profound. He used to meditate before every hearing, centering himself spiritually before we made decisions about healthcare, mass incarceration, immigration, and more. Sometimes, after a particularly grueling hearing ended, I’d be walking back to the anteroom and I’d hear an “Ocasio!” coming from the Chair’s seat. He’d be there, pointer finger curled, calling me over. He’d let me know when he thought I did well, or ask me a pointed question, or say something to expand my thinking. People do not do that in Congress, but he actively groomed the next generation: whether it was how carefully he selected his witnesses, to the incredible committee staff he put together - easily one of the best teams on the Hill - or how he never, ever let a person go unseen.
.
I will miss you, Chairman Cummings. My only hope is that we can continue this work as you wanted, and to do you proud. May you rest in power.

Very great tribute by AOC.

 

[Don2 (Don1 Revised)]

In photos: The life and work of Rep. Elijah Cummings - Axios

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Instagram: “Chairman Elijah Cummings was a hero. Just watch any video of him in any hearing and you will understand the power, dignity, and moral…”

Chairman Elijah Cummings was a hero. Just watch any video of him in any hearing and you will understand the power, dignity, and moral fortitude he brought to our country.
.
Chairman Cummings was a transformational leader: the son of sharecroppers who became a United States Congressman. I feel a profound sense of gratitude to have breathed the same air and walked the same rooms as him. In a Congress whose culture is preoccupied with seniority and tenure, Chairman Cummings was uniquely focused on the next generation. Despite having so much stature and power, he had absolutely zero ego. None. He constantly looked to uplift the communities and people whose stories were overlooked and underserved. He was tough and compassionate, and always reminded people that they were never too late to do good.
.
Chairman Cummings’ insight mattered deeply to me. His moral compass was profound. He used to meditate before every hearing, centering himself spiritually before we made decisions about healthcare, mass incarceration, immigration, and more. Sometimes, after a particularly grueling hearing ended, I’d be walking back to the anteroom and I’d hear an “Ocasio!” coming from the Chair’s seat. He’d be there, pointer finger curled, calling me over. He’d let me know when he thought I did well, or ask me a pointed question, or say something to expand my thinking. People do not do that in Congress, but he actively groomed the next generation: whether it was how carefully he selected his witnesses, to the incredible committee staff he put together - easily one of the best teams on the Hill - or how he never, ever let a person go unseen.
.
I will miss you, Chairman Cummings. My only hope is that we can continue this work as you wanted, and to do you proud. May you rest in power.

Very great tribute by AOC.

That is awesome and illuminates what kind of person he was in Congress behind the scenes.

 

[Patooka]

Couldn't find a less partisan source, but this speaks volumes about "Christians" who support Trump:

“If you notice, John McCain, he dead. Charles Krauthammer, he dead. And Elijah Cumming, now he dead,” Peterson declared. “They all didn’t like The Great White Hope, they went against him, they talked about him, now they all dead. That’s amazin’.”

Stay classy fella.

 

[southernhybrid]

Couldn't find a less partisan source, but this speaks volumes about "Christians" who support Trump:

“If you notice, John McCain, he dead. Charles Krauthammer, he dead. And Elijah Cumming, now he dead,” Peterson declared. “They all didn’t like The Great White Hope, they went against him, they talked about him, now they all dead. That’s amazin’.”

Stay classy fella.

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/10/17/1893251/-Republican-Christians-Credit-God-for-Killing-Elijah-Cummings?detail=emaildkcc

I can imagine some Christians being this stupid and nasty.

There were others. Dave Daubenmire declared that Cummings was an “enemy of the cross” — whatever that means.

Chris McDonald, vocal right-winger and conspiracy theorist, streamed a special edition of his “The MC Files” devoted to abusing the recently deceased. He and his guest, Pastor Stacey Shiflett, spent the entire program attacking Cummings as corrupt, unbiblical, and ungodly - and asserting that God had taken his life because of his opposition to Donald Trump.

Imo, these people are dangerous. They are stirring up hate among some who have no self control and who are looking for an excuse to hurt those who don't agree with them. Who will they attack next? It's very disturbing and I would go so far as to call these claims Orwellian. They attack a man with excellent values and dedication to his country and try to make him look like he's the immoral one, while at the same time they worship Trump as if he is their new savior.

 

[lpetrich]

Elijah Cummings' body lies in state at the US Capitol - CNNPolitics

Congressional leaders honored the late Rep. Elijah Cummings on Thursday as his body laid in state in National Statuary Hall in the US Capitol.
Cummings, a longtime Maryland Democrat and key figure leading investigations into President Donald Trump, died last week at the age of 68. The congressman's death prompted an outpouring of grief from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.

Cummings appears to be the first African American and African American lawmaker to lie in state in the US Capitol, according to congressional historians.