From his death bed, Elijah Cummings signed subpoenas in support of Donald Trump being impeached. The Chairman of the House Oversight Committee was tireless until the end, leading a Democratic caucus call from his hospital bed.
While he may have fallen ill, Cummings was not content to simply lay down and quit. The indefatigable congressman kept up his diligent work of digging for the truth in the Trump Ukraine scandal, issuing subpoenas relating to the impeachment inquiry.
Notably, the congressman sparred numerous times with Donald Trump during his time in office. Trump consistently tweeted insults directed as the chairman of the House Oversight Committee, accusing him of running a “rat-infested” district in Baltimore and of being a “racist.”
In a surprising reversal of his normal tone, Trump tweeted “warm condolences” to Cummings’ family following the congressman’s death. “I got to see first hand the strength, passion, and wisdom of this highly respected political leader.” While many felt this sentiment was far from genuine, at least it wasn’t another insult.
Trump concluded his tweet by saying “His work and voice on so many fronts will be very hard, if not impossible, to replace!” On that count, many agreed with the president: Cummings was a singular force for congressional Democrats to rally behind, and his loss will certainly be felt in the government for years to come.
Related: Elijah Cummings Dead at Age 68 after Hospital Procedure
Speaking on the late congressman recently, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi called Cummings “a North Star” and stated that he carried himself with “unsurpassed clarity and moral integrity” when he was leading his committee.
Pelosi went on to state that Cummings was her “brother in Baltimore,” as she grew up in the city that Cummings represented. The Speaker went on to emotionally add that “we’ve all lost a friend … I’m devastated by the loss.”
Numerous others sent an outpouring of love to the family and friends of the late congressman, citing his diligent hard word on the congressional floor and his unyielding spirit. He continued fighting for what he believed until his very last breath.
