Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) said that if House Democrats are in the majority next year they will launch investigations into what he called President Trump’s attacks on democratic institutions.
“I want to look at what President Trump has done, aided and abetted by the Republicans in Congress, to tear down the foundations of our democracy,” Cummings, who will become chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee if Democrats take back the House, told Hill.TV’s Jamal Simmons in a “Rising” interview that aired on Monday.
“Whether he’s doing it intentionally or not, it’s happening,” Cummings added. “There have been attacks on the CIA, the FBI, freedom of the press, suppression of the vote. I can go on and on and on.”
The Maryland Democrat went on to say that the panel would focus on policy initiatives as well if he wields the committee gavel.
“On the other hand, the American people, they don’t mind hearing about Trump, but they want to know what are you going to do for me,” Cummings said.
“So we have what I call a proactive agenda, too, and that is looking at the cost of pharmaceuticals … and the way that pharmaceutical companies are jacking up the prices in a very unreasonable way,” he said. “We want to look at the whole idea of why it is that those protections that have been provided because of the Affordable Care Act in regard to pre-existing conditions, we need to take a look at that.”
His comments come as Democrats are in a strong position to take back the House in November’s midterm elections, which are widely expected to be a referendum on Trump’s first two years in office.
— Julia Manchester
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