President Donald Trump ordered US flags flown at half-staff in memory of House of Representatives Oversight Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings, who died Thursday night amid a high-profile effort by House Democrats to impeach the president
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 17th October, 2019) President Donald Trump ordered US flags flown at half-staff in memory of House of Representatives Oversight Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings, who died Thursday night amid a high-profile effort by House Democrats to impeach the president."The flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions through October 18, 2019," Trump said in a proclamation on Thursday.
Trump characterized the order as "a mark of respect for the memory and longstanding public service of Representative Elijah E. Cummings."
As chair of the Oversight Committee, Cummings led investigations that dovetailed with effort by House Democrats to impeach Trump, including a probe of Trump family members serving in his administration.
Trump had criticized Cummings for doing little during more than two decades in Congress to help his district in the state of Maryland, which the US president had described as a rat and rodent invested mess where no human being would want to live.
Cummings took the high road when responding, by inviting Trump to visit his district and urging both Trump and his critics in Congress to tone down hateful and incendiary rhetoric.
Earlier on Thursday, Trump expressed via Twitter condolences to the Cummings family, with praise for the lawmaker's strength, passion and wisdom.
