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Elijah Cummings's Pall Bearer Explains the Personal Reason He Refused to Shake Mitch McConnell's Hand
Admirable.
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.
No one likes Mitch McConnell. https://t.co/QKZjSHwtIn— Claude Taylor (@Claude Taylor) 1571966210.0
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.
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.
"When I saw Mitch McConnell, all I saw was my brother’s face," Rankin told The Washington Post.
He continued:
“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.”
People wholeheartedly understood Rankin's decision.
@thehill Good for him..— Angela... (@Angela...) 1572276243.0
@thehill He doesn't owe any of us an explanation.— Deena Staton Tauber (@Deena Staton Tauber) 1572275907.0
@thehill Good for him for having principles, unlike the tortoise from Kentucky.— (((Alexander Maas Gauslaa))) (@(((Alexander Maas Gauslaa)))) 1572276295.0
@thehill Seems fair. #MoscowMitch is a terrible person and has wrought destruction on this country. No one should shake his hand.— Rich Swinton (@Rich Swinton) 1572275825.0
@thehill McConnell should be thanking him for not spitting— Semi Gruntled (@Semi Gruntled) 1572276065.0
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 wouldn't even let the Senate vote on the appointment of Judge Merrick Garland, whom Obama chose to replace the late Justice Antonin Scalia a year before the 2016 election.
As Domestic Violence Awareness Month comes to an end, we cannot forget that Mitch McConnell has refused to schedule… https://t.co/Lx8Dnj3eBq— Rep. Debbie Dingell (@Rep. Debbie Dingell) 1572278501.0
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— Ron Wyden (@Ron Wyden) 1572272296.0
We can't allow @senatemajldr McConnell & his legislative graveyard to ruin the lives of hardworking gov't contract… https://t.co/ahEZD4tLjC— Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (@Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley) 1572288456.0
In Chicago, Trump mockingly thanks Obama for leaving him so many judicial openings. "How you allowed that is beyond… https://t.co/ykmqvwe5bB— Sahil Kapur (@Sahil Kapur) 1572279697.0
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.
You can donate to McConnell's 2020 reelection opponent, Amy McGrath, here.