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Elijah Cummings: Veteran US Democrat dies aged 68 | |
(30 minutes later) | |
Veteran US Democratic congressman Elijah Cummings, who was heavily involved with the Trump impeachment inquiry, has died at the age of 68. | Veteran US Democratic congressman Elijah Cummings, who was heavily involved with the Trump impeachment inquiry, has died at the age of 68. |
His office said he died due to "longstanding health challenges". | His office said he died due to "longstanding health challenges". |
As chairman of the House of Representatives Oversight Committee, he had instigated several investigations into the Trump administration. | |
He also clashed with administration officials over healthcare and immigration. | |
During a hearing earlier this year, Mr Cummings accused the Department of Homeland Security of having an "empathy deficit" over its treatment of children at migrant detention centres. | |
President Donald Trump responded with a week-long series of tweets and comments attacking the congressman and labelling his majority-black Baltimore district a "disgusting, rat and rodent-infested mess". Several Democratic lawmakers labelled the comment as racist. | |
The congressman had several health problems in recent years, and received treatment for a heart condition. | |
Mr Cummings worked as a Maryland state delegate and lawyer before his election to the House of Representatives in 1996. | Mr Cummings worked as a Maryland state delegate and lawyer before his election to the House of Representatives in 1996. |
A Baltimore native, he was one of seven children born to parents who were farm workers on the same land where their ancestors were enslaved. | |
He had served as chairman of the Oversight Committee since January after Democrats took control of the House last year. | |
During his tenure, he engaged in a lengthy court battle with the Trump administration over subpoenas of the president's personal and financial records. |