DNC Chair and former Labor Secretary Tom Perez released the following statement:

“On behalf of the Democratic Party, I send my deepest condolences on the passing of former Maryland Senator Paul Sarbanes. He was a man of great integrity and accomplishment. Humble to his core, he once said of his ‘stealth senator’ moniker that ‘if you let somebody else take the credit, you can get the result.’

“As a legislator, he was a workhorse, not a show horse – from strengthening corporate oversight with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, to his tireless efforts to restore and protect the Chesapeake Bay, to his commitment to safeguarding our democracy through a lead role in the Watergate proceedings.

“In Maryland, the name Sarbanes is synonymous with integrity, service, and helping those in need. Sen. Sarbanes leaves a legacy as a true public servant, and a warrior for the most vulnerable. My heartfelt thoughts are with his family as they cope with this tremendous loss. The Democratic Party, my home state of Maryland, and the entire nation are stronger for his leadership.”