Thousands line up to attend Cummings funeral in Baltimore

Thousands of people have lined up to attend the funeral of Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), a son of sharecroppers who rose to become the chairman of the powerful House Oversight and Reform Committee. 

Lines were long outside the New Psalmist Baptist Church at 8 a.m. as crowds came to attend the services, which will begin later in the day.

Long lines of people wait to go to Elijah Cummings’s viewing at New Psalmist Baptist Church; his funeral will follow pic.twitter.com/kfN4378RRF

— Samantha Hawkins (@samhawk81) October 25, 2019

The morning news live from Baltimore Maryland thousands of people waiting to get into the funeral of Elijah Cummings pic.twitter.com/MUAvLEtjhr

— Muhammad Abdullah (@Muhamma86994502) October 25, 2019

The Associated Press reported that several hundred people were waiting outside the Baltimore church at dawn, waiting for the doors to open ahead of the Friday funeral.{mosads}

Cummings’s open casket was reportedly at the front of the 4,000-seat sanctuary with wreaths placed on both sides and a U.S. flag folded into a triangle. 

Former Presidents Obama and Clinton, as well as Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton were all expected to speak. 

Cummings on Thursday became the first African American lawmaker to lie in state at the Capitol. 

He died last week at age 68 due to to “longstanding health challenges” according to his office. 

Cummings’s Oversight and Reform Committee was one of three leading the impeachment probe into President Trump over his dealings with Ukraine. 

He had served in the House since 1996.

Mike Lillis contributed.