TPUSA’s Benny Johnson took a trip to Baltimore today to see Elijah Cummings’ district first-hand and talk to the people, and he learned a lot about garbage, rats, and feces.
I am in Baltimore. Rep. Elijah Cummings’ district. I spent all day speaking with dozens of people who live in Rep. Cummings’ district. Some have lived here +60 years.
I learned so much.
Before continuing, ask yourself: Do you want to know the truth?Here it is…
*thread @tpusa* pic.twitter.com/dLrMXJlsWk
— Benny (@bennyjohnson) July 29, 2019
First off, Rep. Cummings has represented this district for +20 years. Everyone I spoke with knew him & was aware that he was beefing with @realDonaldTrump.
I did not ask about politics – I asked about living conditions in this district.
That is all.
Here is what they said… pic.twitter.com/ZJQTpaSRVp— Benny (@bennyjohnson) July 29, 2019
On being 'Rat Infested':
– *Every* person I spoke with *confirmed* that the district was rat infested
– This man told me that rats the “size of cats” run through his house regularly
– One woman told me rats have “taken over” her neighborhood
– One called it a "plague of rats" pic.twitter.com/Sccxl2qRjh— Benny (@bennyjohnson) July 29, 2019
Rats as big as cats?!? That sounds awful.
It continues…
One of Rep. Elijah Cummings’ constituents went inside their home and returned with this flyer from the city begging them to help with the rat infestation.
The flyer said that the trash & "animal feces" in the neighborhood attract the rats.
The flyer was delivered *this week* pic.twitter.com/G5bGUCUJoc— Benny (@bennyjohnson) July 29, 2019
On trash in Rep. Cummings’ district:
– There is trash everywhere
– Filth & garbage piled up high in the street
– One building had a big sign that begged ‘DO NOT PUT TRASH HERE’ – below the signs were piles of rotting refuse
– Constituents blamed the trash for the rat infestation pic.twitter.com/UpIqJSCWsC— Benny (@bennyjohnson) July 29, 2019
On crime in Rep. Cummings’ district:
– Every constituent said that murders, shootings, drugs run rampant.
– Many told me they were scared & do not go outside after dark.
– One elderly man, “It did not used to be this way. Now we kill each other. Why? Because no one has a job." pic.twitter.com/h221SnGXpd— Benny (@bennyjohnson) July 29, 2019
On the abandoned houses in Rep. Cummings’ district:
– Constituents tell me crime, rats, trash, drugs, killings & crumbling infrastructure has forced many out.
– One woman told me she wished the city would just “demolish” her block
– Parts of the district look like a ghost town pic.twitter.com/EqOlei0KEl— Benny (@bennyjohnson) July 29, 2019
One home had a 30 foot tree growing from the basement right through the roof. You could see it from the street. How long has this home been abandoned for a tree to take over the entire house and add *another* story?
It was very sad. pic.twitter.com/gwAqpS4gko
— Benny (@bennyjohnson) July 29, 2019
Parts of Rep. Cummings’ district look like a foreign war zone. Many homes are so decrepit, they are just crumbling to pieces. Every block I walked had a home with no roof. Some blocks have multiple homes that look like they had been through the battle of Leningrad. pic.twitter.com/rLTtpqfitV
— Benny (@bennyjohnson) July 29, 2019
Other blocks were just eerie. Row after row of abandoned shells of houses. No signs of life or occupancy anywhere. Just like the people who lived there had vanished. In a way – they have. pic.twitter.com/of2EvLZvEk
— Benny (@bennyjohnson) July 29, 2019
I want to end with this:
Every person I spoke with in @RepCummings district was deeply kind to my crew & me.
Wonderful, beautiful people.
Here is what they all had in common: They feel abandoned by their politicians.
With a district like this – can you really blame them? pic.twitter.com/aLexSb8zQo— Benny (@bennyjohnson) July 29, 2019
I look forward to the video when Benny gets it done. It will be interesting to hear from these people and what they think of Elijah Cummings.