Elijah Cummings lies in state in Capitol — watch live stream

The late longtime Maryland congressman Elijah Cummings, who died last week at the age of 68, will lie in state Thursday in the U.S. Capitol. There will be a formal ceremony in the morning that will be open to lawmakers, Cummings’ family and invited guests. The public viewing will take place after the memorial service.

Cummings’ wife, Maya Rockeymoore Cummings, who is the chair of the Maryland Democratic Party, said that her husband worked until the end of his life because of his belief that “our democracy was the highest and best expression of our collective humanity and that our nation’s diversity was our promise, not our problem.”

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi referred to Cummings, who was revered and respected by both Democrats and Republicans, as the “North Star” of the House.

The House Oversight and Reform Committee chairman, a Democrat and 23-year House veteran, Cummings was a key figure in the impeachment inquiry into Mr. Trump and a recent target of intense criticism by President Trump. He led multiple investigations of Mr. Trump’s dealings, including probes in 2019 relating to the president’s family members serving in the White House.

The president responded by criticizing Cummings’ district as a “rodent-infested mess” where “no human being would want to live.” The comments came weeks after Mr. Trump drew bipartisan condemnation following his calls for Democratic congresswomen of color to get out of the U.S. “right now” and go back to their “broken and crime-infested countries.”

A sharecropper’s son, Cummings was a formidable orator who passionately advocated for the poor in his black-majority district, which encompasses a large portion of Baltimore as well as more well-to-do suburbs.

After Mr. Trump’s criticism, Cummings replied that government officials must stop making “hateful, incendiary comments” that only serve to divide and distract the nation from its real problems, including mass shootings and white supremacy.

“Those in the highest levels of the government must stop invoking fear, using racist language and encouraging reprehensible behavior,” Cummings said in a speech at the National Press Club.

Throughout his career, Cummings used his fiery voice to highlight the struggles and needs of inner-city residents. He was a firm believer in some much-debated approaches to help the poor and addicted, such as needle exchange programs as a way to reduce the spread of AIDS. Cummings was very popular in his district, where he was a key member of the community.

Cummings said in an interview with “60 Minutes” in January that he was one of the few members of Congress who lived in an inner city environment.

“I like to be among my constituents,” he said. “Let me tell you something man, if I don’t do well in this block I’m in trouble. I mean, if you wanna take a poll, if I lost in this block I might as well go – I might as well stay home.”

Below are the people expected to speak at the ceremony, according to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office:

Maya Rockeymoore Cummings – spouse

Former President Barack Obama

Former President William Jefferson Clinton

Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi

The Honorable Kweisi Mfume

Jennifer Cummings and Adia Cummings – daughters

James Cummings – brother

Alfred Vaughn – clergy

Deaconess Margaret Ann Howie – New Psalmist Baptist Church

Larry Gibson – mentor

Jon Alexander – mentee

Leana Wen – mentee

Harry Spikes – congressional staffer

How to watch Elijah Cummings’ memorial

• Date: Thursday, October 24, 2019
• Time: 10:30 a.m. ET
• Location: U.S. Capitol Building – Washington D.C.
• Online stream: Watch the memorial and public viewing on the video player above