Congressman Elijah Cummings - Called the 'Conscience of the Congress' - Dies at 68 By Hazel Trice Edney

Oct. 22, 2019

Congressman Elijah Cummings - Called the 'Conscience of the Congress' - Dies at 68
By Hazel Trice Edney

congressmanelijahcummings1

(TriceEdneyWire.com) - From the White House that he righteously excoriated – “We are better than this!”- to the grassroots citizens and representatives whom he served, U. S. Rep. Elijah Cummings is being hailed this week as the irreplaceable, widely beloved “conscience of the Congress”.

“At approximately 2:30 a.m. on Thursday, October 17, 2019, Congressman Elijah E. Cummings (MD-07) passed away at Gilchrist Hospice Care, a Johns Hopkins affiliate, due to complications concerning longstanding health challenges,” said the official statement posted on his Congressional website. The shocking announcement was followed by a plethora of statements of respect to the revered Congressman, the first being from his wife, Dr. Maya Rockeymore, a leader in her own rite.

“He was a father, a husband, a son of Baltimore, and a Statesman who served Maryland's 7th Congressional District for more than 20 years, and served 16 years prior to that as a Delegate in the Maryland General Assembly,” wrote Dr. Rockeymore, chair of the Maryland Democratic Party. “Chairman Cummings will always be remembered for dedicating his life's work to improving the lives of others, standing up for his community, and protecting our Democracy. Congressman Cummings was an honorable man who proudly served his district and the nation with dignity, integrity, compassion and humility. 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.”

President Donald Trump was in an all-out war with Congressman Cummings, who was chairman of the House Oversight Committee that was exploring the possible impeachment of Trump. Trump, known internationally for his vitriol, had called Cummings unsavory names that will not be repeated in this column and had described his Baltimore district as “a disgusting, rat and rodent infested mess”.

But upon the announcement of the Congressman’s death, even Trump issued a remarkably civil statement.

“My warmest condolences to the family and many friends of Congressman Elijah Cummings,” he said in an emailed statement. “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!”

He later ordered all public U. S. Flags to fly at half-staff “as a mark of respect for the memory and longstanding public service of Representative Elijah E. Cummings, of Maryland."

Former President Barack Obama also issued a statement.

“Michelle and I are heartbroken over the passing of our friend, Elijah Cummings. As Chairman of the House Oversight Committee, he showed us all not only the importance of checks and balances within our democracy, but also the necessity of good people stewarding it. Steely yet compassionate, principled yet open to new perspectives, Chairman Cummings remained steadfast in his pursuit of truth, justice, and reconciliation,” Obama wrote.

He was joined by heartbroken members of the Congressional Black Caucus as well as his dear friend, House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn, the highest serving African-American in the Congress.

“Elijah Cummings was the true definition of a leader and his commitment to civility and humanity were invaluable in times such as these. To many, Elijah was a friend and mentor, but to the members of the CBC, Elijah was family,” said a statement from the Congressional Black Caucus, chaired by U. S. Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.) “As the Chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, Elijah used his gavel to speak truth to power on behalf of the American people. Moreover, his fairness and integrity were undeniable by Members on both sides of the aisle.”

The term, "Concience of the Congress" is usually reserved for the Congressional Black Caucus. But, upon his death, economist and columnist Dr. Julianne Malveaux, described Cummings as such because of his work for the poor and oppressed far beyond the call of duty.

Among the quotes attributed to Cummings that will no doubt resonate as a part of his legacy was his roaring proclamation, “We are better than this!” Cummings shouted these words during a Congressional hearing with former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen. He was sympathetically responding to the fact that Trump had called the prison-bound Cohen “a rat”.

Representing the city of Baltimore, Clyburn was quick to stand for anyone in pain. During the 2015 Freddie Gray riots, he struggled to quell tensions, called for calm, and literally locked arms with the community.

When I arrived on the scene on North and Pennsylvania Tuesday, I saw this tall guy who was telling people to, ‘Lock arms, lock arms,’” he told the Baltimore Sun. “At first I thought he was locking arms to tell people, ‘We're not going anywhere. We're going to go against the police.’ Then he said to me, ‘Congressman, you need to lock arms, too. I'm not here to go against the police. I'm trying to get [curfew violators] out of here.’"

“Today we have lost a giant,” said U.S. House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn. He noted that though Baltimoreans loved Cummings and adopted him as their own, “Elijah’s roots were in Clarendon County, South Carolina, in my district.  This connection bonded us, and we were dear friends as well as colleagues. We were of like minds that our work in the Congress was not to benefit us, but to bring hope and opportunity to future generations.”

The following is the schedule of ceremonies and activities to honor Congressman Cummings, according to the Baltimore Afro American Newspaper:

  • Wednesday, Oct. 23: Public viewing at Morgan State University’s Murphy Fine Arts Center, 2201 Argonne Dr., Baltimore, Md. 21218, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., immediately followed by a Community-Wide Celebration of the Life of Congressman Elijah E. Cummings, 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
  • Thursday, Oct. 24: The remains of U.S. Representative Cummings, will lie in state at the National Statuary Hall of the United States Capitol.
  • Friday, Oct. 25: Funeral services will be held at New Psalmist Baptist Church, 6020 Marian Dr., Baltimore, Md. 21215. A wake with public viewing will begin at 8 a.m., followed immediately by funeral services at 10 a.m. Congressman Cummings worshiped for nearly four decades at New Psalmist Baptist Church under the leadership of his pastor, Bishop Walter S. Thomas Sr.

Congressman Cumming’s professional funeral services are being entrusted to March Funeral Homes and Marshall-March Funeral Homes. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the following: The Elijah Cummings Youth Program
www.ecyp.org; Morgan State University https://givetomorgan.org; or Howard University
https://giving.howard.edu.

For more information on funeral services or to leave a tribute message for the family, visit www.MarchFH.com or www.MarshallMarchFH.com.

The following is an excerpt from the bio posted on Congressman Cummings’ Congressional website:

Congressman Elijah R. Cummings was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, where he still resides today. He obtained his Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Howard University, serving as Student Government President and graduating Phi Beta Kappa, and then graduated from the University of Maryland School of Law. Congressman Cummings has also received 13 honorary doctoral degrees from Universities throughout the nation.

Congressman Cummings has dedicated his life of service to uplifting and empowering the people he is sworn to represent. He began his career of public service in the Maryland House of Delegates, where he served for 14 years and became the first African American in Maryland history to be named Speaker Pro Tem.  Since 1996, Congressman Cummings has proudly represented Maryland’s 7th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Congressman Cummings often said that our children are the living messages that we send to a future we will never see. In that vein, he has been committed to ensuring that our next generation has access to quality healthcare and education, clean air and water, and a strong economy defined by fiscal responsibility.


Congressman Cummings served as the Chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform. As the main investigative committee in the House of Representatives, Oversight and Reform has jurisdiction to investigate any federal program and any matter with federal policy implications.  As the Committee’s Chairman, Congressman Cummings fought to hold the Presidential Administration to a high standard of excellence and to ensure efficiency and effectiveness in the actions of the government of the United States.”

He was also revered in the civil rights community.

“As a statesman devoted to Baltimore and the civil rights movement, Congressman Cummings was among the most passionate and spirited members of Congress,” said NAACP President/CEO Derrick Johnson. “He demanded justice on every front and never shied away from standing up for the most vulnerable.”