Elijah Cummings’ pallbearer snubs Mitch McConnell, declining to shake GOP leader's hand at memorial

Chuck Schumer's face says it all after Senate majority leader gets passed over

Mitch McConnell was seemingly snubbed by a pallbearer at the late Congressman Elijah Cummings’ funeral in an incident that appeared to leave the Republican leader stunned.

Members of Congress from both sides of the political aisle had gathered on Thursday to pay their respects to the Maryland Democrat, who served as the chairman of the powerful House Oversight Committee before passing away last week from complications related to longstanding health issues.

Video footage recorded inside the memorial service shows top Democrats and Republicans greeting the pallbearers as they filed into the church rows, shaking hands with each person as they walk by.

One of the pallbearers can be seen shaking hands with Steny Hoyer, a Maryland Democrat, Kevin McCarthy, a California Republican and Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat.

He then walks past Mr McConnell and goes straight to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who greets him with a smile and shakes his hand.

Appearing confused, Mr McConnell can then be seen turning towards Mr Schumer, who is staring at him while smirking.

Steven Scalise, a Louisiana Republican, can also be seen standing behind Mr McConnell, his eyes darting back and forth as the awkward incident plays out.

The pallbearer could not be immediately identified. The service carried on after the apparent snub without any interruption.

Some of the most prominent American political figures have attended the memorial service and funeral of Mr Cummings, who was remembered as a respected statesman and lifelong public servant.

On Friday, a crowded church in Baltimore — packed with thousands of the late congressman’s constituents, family members, friends, staff and colleagues — cheered the arrivals of former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, former vice-president Joe Biden and former secretary of state Hillary Clinton.

Ms Clinton, who spoke at the funeral, said Mr Cummings had a simple philosophy: “Do something.”

“Go out and do something,” she said. “No matter how daunting a problem seems, no matter how helpless you feel, surely there is something you can do … that remains his challenge to each of us.”