The wife of Rep. Elijah Cummings says her husband worked tirelessly to represent his people, even up until his very “last breath” when he succumbed to longtime health complications at 68 years old.

Cummings not only represented Maryland’s 7th District for more than two decades, but he also lived in the inner-city district impacted by poverty and crime up until his death early Thursday morning (Oct. 17).

He was hospitalized last month and underwent some sort of medical procedure.

According to a statement from his office, the Congressman passed away from “complications concerning longstanding health challenges.”

Cummings’ wife and chairwoman of the Maryland Democratic Party, Maya Rockeymoore Cummings, released her own statement praising her husband for faithfully serving his people.

“Congressman Cummings was an honorable man who proudly served his district and the nation with dignity, integrity, compassion and humility,” Mrs. Cummings said of her late husband.

“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. It’s been an honor to walk by his side on this incredible journey. I loved him deeply and will miss him dearly.”

In addition to passionately representing the district he was born and raised in, Cummings was also chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee and used his role to defend the Obama administration against Republicans.

He also launched his own investigation into the Trump administration after the Democrats won the majority of the House of Representatives last year and was a fierce opponent of Trump’s immigration policies, especially the one that’s separating children from families, calling it inhumane.

Trump and Cummings publicly clashed back in July when the President called him a “brutal bully” and attacked the City of Baltimore, referring to it as a “disgusting, rat and rodent infested mess” and a “dangerous and filthy place.”

 

Trump also tweeted: “Why is so much money sent to the Elijah Cummings district when it is considered the worst run and most dangerous anywhere in the United States. No human being would want to live there. Where is all this money going? How much is stolen? Investigate this corrupt mess immediately!”

Cummings, being the man of poise that he is, calmly responded to Trump directly, pointing out that Trump has largely ignored the Congressman’s efforts to improve that very same district he called “filthy” and “disgusting.”

“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,” Cummings tweeted.

“Just yesterday, I held a hearing on the skyrocketing prices of prescription drugs and the financial hardships that families across the nation, and in Baltimore, are facing.

“Mr. President, we can address this together. Two years ago, I went to the White House to ask you to endorse my bill to let the government negotiate directly for lower drug prices.

“You told me then that you supported the legislation and that you would work with me to make it happen. I took you at your word.”

After spending most of the summer attacking Cummings, Trump took the time to honor the Congressman Thursday morning after his death.

“My warmest condolences to the family and many friends of Congressman Elijah Cummings,” he tweeted. “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!”

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