The longtime congressman was supported by Americans on both sides of the aisle and from all walks of life. ASSOCIATED PRESSTopline: The Wednesday death of Elijah Cummings, a ranking congressional Democrat and a key figure in President Trump’s impeachment inquiry, triggered a flood of memorials from not just politicians, but celebrities, journalists and other Americans. Celebrities Cher, George Takei, Wanda Sykes and Chelsea Handler memorialized Cummings, with Sykes saying, “This really hurts.”Key background: The son of sharecroppers, Cummings was born in 1951. Seen as a powerful voice in Washington, he went on to chair the Congressional Black Caucus and the House oversight committee. Further reading:Elijah E. Cummings, Powerful Democrat Who Investigated Trump, Dies at 68 (New York Times)

Source: Forbes October 17, 2019 13:18 UTC