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Elijah Cummings's Pall Bearer Explains the Personal Reason He Refused to Shake Mitch McConnell's Hand
28 October 2019
@EdwardTHardy/Twitter
The death of Congressman Elijah Cummings (D-MD) sent a wave of sadness through lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, but longtime friend of Cummings, Bobby Rankin, brought a much-needed moment of levity when eagle-eyed viewers saw him snub Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) while shaking the hands of bipartisan lawmakers.
Watch below.
<p></p><div id="4eb1a" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="BK7V921574872532"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1187538474385268737" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">No one likes Mitch McConnell. https://t.co/QKZjSHwtIn</div> — Claude Taylor (@Claude Taylor)<a href="https://twitter.com/TrueFactsStated/statuses/1187538474385268737">1571966210.0</a></blockquote></div><p></p><p>People weren't sure if it was an act of resistance or simply an oversight, but now Rankin is confirming to reporters that his denial was deliberate.</p><p>It has everything to do with Rankin's brother, whom McConnell denied veteran's benefits. Rankin's brother died of cancer last year after drinking contaminated water while serving in the Marines.</p><p>"When I saw Mitch McConnell, all I saw was my brother’s face," Rankin told <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2019/10/28/man-went-viral-after-snubbing-mcconnell-cummings-funeral-says-senator-reminded-him-brother/?tid=sm_fb">The Washington Post</a>.</p><p>He continued:</p><blockquote>“I could not put my hands in the man’s hand who refused to help somebody who served his country. I couldn’t do it, because I was thinking about my brother.”</blockquote><p>People wholeheartedly understood Rankin's decision.</p><p></p><div id="e53b2" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="R21QXB1574872532"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1188838849369104384" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">@thehill Good for him..</div> — Angela... (@Angela...)<a href="https://twitter.com/Angela49442451/statuses/1188838849369104384">1572276243.0</a></blockquote></div><p></p><p></p><div id="9ef8b" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="B5VZ2V1574872532"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1188837440120934400" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">@thehill He doesn't owe any of us an explanation.</div> — Deena Staton Tauber (@Deena Staton Tauber)<a href="https://twitter.com/deetweets_1/statuses/1188837440120934400">1572275907.0</a></blockquote></div><p></p><p></p><div id="8bedd" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="8J1HSF1574872532"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1188839064906153985" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">@thehill Good for him for having principles, unlike the tortoise from Kentucky.</div> — (((Alexander Maas Gauslaa))) (@(((Alexander Maas Gauslaa))))<a href="https://twitter.com/SittingDutchman/statuses/1188839064906153985">1572276295.0</a></blockquote></div><p></p><p></p><div id="a9092" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="GE4Y6B1574872532"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1188837094627528704" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">@thehill Seems fair. #MoscowMitch is a terrible person and has wrought destruction on this country.
No one should shake his hand.</div> — Rich Swinton (@Rich Swinton)<a href="https://twitter.com/RicoSuaveJD/statuses/1188837094627528704">1572275825.0</a></blockquote></div><p></p><p></p><div id="e9023" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="8Y4QBQ1574872532"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1188838102577680384" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">@thehill McConnell should be thanking him for not spitting</div> — Semi Gruntled (@Semi Gruntled)<a href="https://twitter.com/Ijustreadatweet/statuses/1188838102577680384">1572276065.0</a></blockquote></div><p></p><p>McConnell has been almost completely rejected all semblance of partisanship and good faith since before Trump's election, when he proved to be a bulwark against any of the Obama administration's efforts—including the President's constitutional right to appoint a Supreme Court Justice. McConnell<a href="https://secondnexus.com/news/politics/mitch-mcconnell-treat-potus-nominee-fairly/"> wouldn't even let the Senate vote</a> on the appointment of Judge Merrick Garland, whom Obama chose to replace the late Justice Antonin Scalia a year before the 2016 election.</p><p><div data-conversation-spotlight=""></div></p><p></p><div id="8c18b" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="HFUHB81574872533"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1188848319474339840" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">As Domestic Violence Awareness Month comes to an end, we cannot forget that Mitch McConnell has refused to schedule… https://t.co/Lx8Dnj3eBq</div> — Rep. Debbie Dingell (@Rep. Debbie Dingell)<a href="https://twitter.com/RepDebDingell/statuses/1188848319474339840">1572278501.0</a></blockquote></div><p></p><p></p><div id="ad0c9" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="5XTJD91574872533"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1188822292668801024" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">We are 372 days away from the 2020 election and Mitch McConnell has yet to take any concrete steps to protect our f… https://t.co/S6WF8In4Vb</div> — Ron Wyden (@Ron Wyden)<a href="https://twitter.com/RonWyden/statuses/1188822292668801024">1572272296.0</a></blockquote></div><p></p><p></p><div id="a146f" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="XRNQZI1574872533"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1188890074580168707" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">We can't allow @senatemajldr McConnell & his legislative graveyard to ruin the lives of hardworking gov't contract… https://t.co/ahEZD4tLjC</div> — Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (@Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley)<a href="https://twitter.com/RepPressley/statuses/1188890074580168707">1572288456.0</a></blockquote></div><p></p><p></p><div id="e8c15" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="HCF9471574872533"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1188853335211810816" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">In Chicago, Trump mockingly thanks Obama for leaving him so many judicial openings. "How you allowed that is beyond… https://t.co/ykmqvwe5bB</div> — Sahil Kapur (@Sahil Kapur)<a href="https://twitter.com/sahilkapur/statuses/1188853335211810816">1572279697.0</a></blockquote></div><p></p><p>Since then, McConnell has gone to pride himself as "the Grim Reaper" for his reliability in blocking numerous bills passed by the Democratic House of Representatives.</p><p>You can donate to McConnell's 2020 reelection opponent, Amy McGrath, <a href="https://secure.actblue.com/donate/mcgrath2020-dd-om-gsearch?utm_source=g&utm_medium=om&utm_campaign=dd&utm_content=om_g_dd_20190709_g-dd-namenat-search_namedon-nat_amfsow&refcode=om_g_dd_20190709_g-dd-namenat-search_namedon-nat_amfsow&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIwvfLke-_5QIVC3iGCh0Ejwz_EAAYASAAEgJXz_D_BwE">here</a>.</p>
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