By Ed Diokno & Louis Chan
“Trump – who lost the popular vote – made a series of racist, sexist and bigoted statements,” said Lieu. “In addition, he attacked Gold Star parents, veterans such as John McCain and now civil rights icon John Lewis.”
After much thought, I have decided to #StandWithJohnLewis and not attend the inauguration.
— Judy Chu (@RepJudyChu) January 15, 2017
“All talk, no action.”
I stand with @repjohnlewis and I will not be attending the inauguration. pic.twitter.com/z8Q0wA9OPK
— Mark Takano (@RepMarkTakano) January 14, 2017
In a television interview Friday (Jan. 14), Rep. Lewis said he doesn’t see Trump as a “legitimate president” due to alleged Russian interference in the election.
.@repjohnlewis stands for the best of everything in America. If anyone knows about action not words, it’s him. #ImWithJohn
— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@RepJayapal) January 15, 2017
“That’s not right. That’s not fair. That’s not the democratic process,” Lewis said about the alleged Russian hacking, which U.S. intelligence officials believe was to help Trump get elected and to discredit Hillary Clinton.
Lewis said he could not attend the president-elect’s inauguration in good conscience. “You cannot be at home with something that you feel that is wrong,” Lewis said.
Trump dismissed Lewis, a Freedom Rider who was beaten during a 1965 march in Selma and was arrested and jailed repeatedly in opposition to segregation, as “all talk, talk, talk – no action or results.”
This is the first time Lewis has not attended the inauguration since he entered Congress 30 years ago.“I can only hope that Trump will govern differently than he has campaigned. For me, the personal decision not to attend Inauguration is quite simple: Do I stand with Donald Trump, or do I stand with John Lewis? I am standing with John Lewis.”
Lieu also wrote in his statement that Trump will be in violation of the Constitution on the day he takes office because of his “massive conflicts of interests he has with his global business holdings.”
RE: Four Asian American Congressmen will Boycott Trump Inauguration: Wish the title said Four Asian American members of Congress since two happen to be women and one happens to be the chair of the Caucus.
RE: Mary Nicely on Four Asian American Congressmen will boycott Trump Inauguration: Good point. The original article was only about Takano and Lieu and the headline read Two Asian American Congressman… In the hurry to update it, we merely changed the number. We should have been more careful. We have updated the headline. Thank you
RE: Four Asian American Congressional Reps will Boycott Trump’s Inauguration: good will save tax payers money. And they probably will lose their seats.
Re: Four Asian American Congressional Reps will boycott Trump Inauguration:It’s great to see that people are starting to stand up to the schoolyard bully.