NATIONAL NEWS

Rep. Elija Cummings, Key Figure In Trump Investigations, Dies At 68

Oct 17, 2019, 5:14 AM | Updated: Jun 7, 2022, 4:02 pm

Rep. Elijiah Cummings of Maryland represented Maryland's 7th Congressional District since 1996 and ...

Rep. Elijiah Cummings of Maryland represented Maryland's 7th Congressional District since 1996 and served as the chairman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee.

 (CNN) — Rep. Elijah Cummings, the longtime Maryland Democrat and a key figure leading investigations into President Donald Trump, has died at age 68, his office announced early Thursday morning.

He died of “complications concerning longstanding health challenges,” his office said in a statement.

The congressman, who had represented Maryland’s 7th Congressional District since 1996, served as the chairman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee, one of the panels involved in the impeachment inquiry of Trump.

He oversaw a range of investigations into the Trump administration, from issues relating to the impeachment inquiry to the treatment of migrants at the southern border to the use of personal email for official use by White House officials to how the citizenship question was considered for the US census.

And it was his committee that grilled Trump’s former personal attorney, Michael Cohen, in a blockbuster hearing this past February.

It was not immediately clear who would succeed Cummings as chairman of the oversight committee or how his passing will affect the swirling impeachment investigation into Trump.

High-profile Trump critic

As he has led these investigative efforts, Cummings also clashed publicly with the President. Earlier this year, Trump tweeted disparaging remarks toward Cummings and his Maryland district, which includes much of Baltimore, calling the majority black district a “disgusting, rat and rodent infested mess.”

Responding to some of the President’s tweets — in which Trump suggested the congressman needed to spend more time fixing his district — Cummings said on Twitter: “Mr. President, I go home to my district daily. Each morning, I wake up, and I go and fight for my neighbors. It is my constitutional duty to conduct oversight of the Executive Branch. But, it is my moral duty to fight for my constituents.”

Despite that high-profile feud, Trump and Cummings did not always disagree. More than two years prior, Cummings emerged from a White House meeting with Trump and told reporters that the two men had found common ground on their shared interest in lowering drug prices.

At the time, Cummings also said he urged the President to rethink his language on African American communities after Trump repeatedly painted a grim picture of inner-city life on the campaign trail.

“I want you to realize that all African American communities are not places of depression and where people are being harmed,” Cummings told reporters at the time, recalling his conversation with Trump. “When we hear those words about carnage and we are living in depressed situations, I told him it was very hurtful.”

In another high-profile moment earlier this year, Cummings stood up for Republican Rep. Mark Meadows, one of the President’s closest allies and staunchest defenders in Congress, in the face of accusations of racism. The chairman referred to Meadows as one of his “best friends.”

“I know that shocks a lot of people,” Cummings said.

Veteran of Civil Rights Movement

Cummings grew up in the Civil Rights Movement and recently discussed how, even at a young age, he was part of that movement to integrate parts of his neighborhood.

“We were trying to integrate an Olympic-size pool near my house, and we had been constrained to a wading pool in the black community,” Cummings told ABC’s “This Week” earlier this year. “As we tried to march to that pool over six days, I was beaten, all kinds of rocks and bottles thrown at me.”

Cummings said Trump’s racist remarks regarding four other members of Congress echoed the same insults he heard as a 12-year-old boy in 1962, which he said were “very painful.”

“The interesting thing is that I heard the same chants. ‘Go home. You don’t belong here,’ ” he told ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos. “And they called us the N-word over and over again.”

Cummings was born and raised in Baltimore — the city that is home to his district. The son of former sharecroppers, Cummings was born in 1951 and graduated from Baltimore City College High School in 1969.

He practiced law and served for 14 years in the Maryland House of Delegates, where, according to his congressional website, he became the first African American in Maryland history to be named Speaker Pro Tem.

In 1996, he was first elected to the US Congress. Cummings was reelected last year in the 7th Congressional District with 76% of the vote.

This story has been updated with additional developments Thursday.

The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2019 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.

KSL 5 TV Live

National News

Alison Smart and her daughter Ruby, Alison Smart is going up against a major drug company, trying t...

Daniel Woodruff

Utah mom enlists Mark Cuban in fight for daughter’s access to insulin

A Utah mom is going up against a major drug company, trying to keep a type of insulin on the market that she says is essential for her family.

11 hours ago

FILE - In this Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2007 picture, vehicles are scattered along the broken remains of ...

Trisha Ahmed and Valerie Gonzalez, Associated Press

Driving along … and the roadway vanishes beneath you. What’s it like to survive a bridge collapse?

What's it like to survive a bridge collapse? Survivors of past bridge failures in Minnesota and Texas tell The Associated Press that the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore brings back harrowing memories of their own ordeals.

11 hours ago

In an aerial view, cargo ship Dali is seen after running into and collapsing the Francis Scott Key ...

Elizabeth Wolfe, Melissa Alonso and Yahya Abou-Ghazala, CNN

2 bodies found in truck under Baltimore bridge collapse as investigators end search for workers, police say

The bodies of two people were recovered from the Patapsco River Wednesday as officials searched the water after a container ship collision caused the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.

12 hours ago

FILE - No Labels leadership and guests from left, Dan Webb, National Co-Chair Dr. Benjamin F. Chavi...

Associated Press

Former Sen. Joe Lieberman, Democrats’ VP pick in 2000, dead at 82

Former U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, who nearly won the vice presidency on the Democratic ticket with Al Gore in the disputed 2000 election and who almost became Republican John McCain's running mate eight years later, has died, according to a statement issued by his family.

13 hours ago

In this photo provided by the Franklinville Volunteer Fire Company, firefighters attempt to get Dai...

Associated Press

Firefighters in New Jersey come to the rescue of a yellow Labrador stuck in a spare tire

Firefighters in southern New Jersey came to the rescue of a dog who got stuck in a spare tire.

15 hours ago

Costco's food court and its famous $1.50 hot dog and soda combo meal....

Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN

Why Costco’s hot dog is still $1.50 when everything has gotten so expensive

Inflation has touched nearly everything these last few years, but Costco is holding the line on its hot dog-soda combo price.

17 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

Women hold card for scanning key card to access Photocopier Security system concept...

Les Olson

Why Printer Security Should Be Top of Mind for Your Business

Connected printers have vulnerable endpoints that are an easy target for cyber thieves. Protect your business with these tips.

Modern chandelier hanging from a white slanted ceiling with windows in the backgruond...

Lighting Design

Light Up Your Home With These Top Lighting Trends for 2024

Check out the latest lighting design trends for 2024 and tips on how you can incorporate them into your home.

Technician woman fixing hardware of desktop computer. Close up....

PC Laptops

Tips for Hassle-Free Computer Repairs

Experiencing a glitch in your computer can be frustrating, but with these tips you can have your computer repaired without the stress.

Close up of finger on keyboard button with number 11 logo...

PC Laptops

7 Reasons Why You Should Upgrade Your Laptop to Windows 11

Explore the benefits of upgrading to Windows 11 for a smoother, more secure, and feature-packed computing experience.

Stylish room interior with beautiful Christmas tree and decorative fireplace...

Lighting Design

Create a Festive Home with Our Easy-to-Follow Holiday Prep Guide

Get ready for festive celebrations! Discover expert tips to prepare your home for the holidays, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere for unforgettable moments.

Battery low message on mobile device screen. Internet and technology concept...

PC Laptops

9 Tips to Get More Power Out of Your Laptop Battery

Get more power out of your laptop battery and help it last longer by implementing some of these tips from our guide.

Rep. Elija Cummings, Key Figure In Trump Investigations, Dies At 68