GOP Rep. Mark Meadows Emotionally Eulogizes Elijah Cummings: I Was Privileged to Call Him a Friend

Republican Rep. Mark Meadows shared an emotional eulogy for his “dear friend” – the late Democratic Congressman Elijah Cummings, who is lying in state today.

“We are called to give honor where honor is due, and so it is fitting that we’re here today to honor a friend,” Meadows said Thursday of Cummings. “He’s called a number of things, you know, father, husband, friend, chairman. For me, I was privileged enough to be able to call him a dear friend.”

The North Carolina congressman and former chair of the conservative Freedom Caucus has often mentioned his friendship with Cummings, the chair of the House Oversight Committee until his death earlier this month.

“Some have classified it as an unexpected friendship,” Meadows said. “But for those of us that know Elijah, it’s not unexpected or surprising. Not only is he a quality man, we were able to share a number of personal stories and intimate secrets that Elijah never shared with anyone because he was a man of his word.”

“Scripture talks about ‘let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me, in my father’s house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you,'” Meadows said, quoting the Gospel of John. “So Elijah has left his tent to go to a mansion, a better place. Perhaps this place and this country would be better served with a few more unexpected friendships. I know I’ve been blessed by one.”

Watch above, via CNN.