Democrat: My party didn’t cause the problems in Baltimore

Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) on Wednesday rejected the idea that Democratic political leaders were responsible for problems in Baltimore.

“Chris, come on Chris,” he told CNN’s Chris Cuomo on “New Day.” “You know, it’s not about personalities, it’s about policy. And you know, and I know, that a lot of the policies coming down from Washington, coming down from the state, actually, too, but coming from Washington are not necessarily kind to urban areas, but particularly lately.”

{mosads}Some conservatives have suggested that Baltimore, where riots broke out last week over police mistreatment of minorities, is the result of failed liberal policies. Baltimore last had a Republican mayor in 1967.

Cummings has been an active voice in the conversation over the death of Freddie Gray, the 25-year-old who sustained a fatal injury while in police custody. Gray’s death led to peaceful protests and, last Monday, riots.

Six officers have been charged in Gray’s death — and Cummings stood behind State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby’s decision to charge them. He said that recent criticism of her case were par for the course, since defense attorneys will look for anything to “take away any kind of momentum” a prosecutor has.

“If the officers are found not guilty, so be it,” he said. “But this is the process that we go through. People in my neighborhood go through this process every day.”