- Trump, Obamas and Hillary Clinton share condolences
- Democratic congressman died at 68 from health complications
Democratic congressman Elijah Cummings died suddenly on Thursday at the age of 68, robbing Capitol Hill of a passionate lawmaker respected from both sides of the political aisle – and throwing an element of confusion into the Trump-Ukraine impeachment inquiry in which he was a leading figure.
Cummings died in the early hours due to complications from longstanding health problems, his congressional office said on Thursday.
A sharecropper’s son, Cummings became the powerful chairman of the House of Representatives oversight committee, one of the three committees leading the investigation into Donald Trump’s dealings with Ukraine.
Cummings was a formidable orator who fervently advocated for the poor in his black-majority district, which encompasses a large portion of Baltimore, as well as richer suburbs.
Tributes poured in on Thursday morning.