This morning, Rep. Elijah Cummings (D) has passed away at the age of 68. He represented the 7th Congressional District of Maryland since April 16th, 1996 and was a member of the Maryland House of Delegates before then. He was a stalwart progressive champion during his time in Congress.
He was a major critic of White House occupant Donald Trump, including his role in leading the impeachment inquiry into Trump and investigations into his Administration as the chair of the House Oversight Committee.
Just a few months before his death, Trump launched a racist smearjob of him and his Congressional district by calling his district a “disgusting, rat and rodent infested mess.”
Cummings has been facing longstanding health issues in recent times, including to his heart and knees. He passed away at around 2:45AM EDT/1:45AM CDT at Johns Hopkins Hospital.
U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings, a Baltimore Democrat, has died from complications of longstanding health problems early Thursday morning, his office said. He was 68 years old.
The Democrat, known for his devotion to Baltimore and civil rights, and for blunt and passionate speechmaking, died at Johns Hopkins Hospital.
A former Maryland state delegate and trial attorney, Cummings became a national figure in 2019 as chairman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee. With Democrats assuming the House majority after the 2018 elections, he won the ability to demand documents related to Trump’s personal finances and policies, as well as possible abuses at federal agencies in the Trump administration.
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In July, Trump began a weeklong series of tweets and comments attacking the congressman, his hometown of Baltimore and his congressional district, which Trump called “rat and rodent infested.” Cummings chose not to respond directly but in a National Press Club speech decried “racist language” used by the nation’s leaders.
Cummings had recent health problems. In 2017, he underwent a minimally invasive heart procedure, which led to an infection that kept him in the hospital longer than expected. He was later hospitalized for a knee infection, but said earlier this year that his health was fine.
BALTIMORE — Maryland U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings has died, according to his office.
Cummings' office released a statement, saying, "At approximately 2:45 a.m. on Thursday Oct. 17, 2019, Congressman Elijah E. Cummings (MD-07) passed away at Johns Hopkins Hospital due to complications concerning longstanding health challenges."
Cummings was 68. He spent months in a hospital last year, first, for his heart, then an infection in his knee.
BALTIMORE — Congressman Elijah Cummings died on Thursday morning, according to an official from his office.
Congressman Cummings passed away at Johns Hopkins hospital due to complications concerning longstanding health challenges.
He has represented Maryland's 7th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives since 1966. Before then he served 14 years in the Maryland House of Delegates. During his tenure he made history as the first African American in Maryland to be named Speaker Pro Tem.
RIP Elijah Cummings. He’ll be missed as a progressive champion for justice.