Here are just some of the politicians who say they are not attending the Inauguration of Donald Trump:
*As of January 17
1. John Lewis
The Alabama Representative publicly announced that he will not be attending the Inauguration following Trump’s comments on Twitter calling Lewis’s Atlanta district “crime infested” and saying he is “all talk” and “no action”. Ironically, Rep. Lewis was a key figure in the Civil Rights movement of the 1960’s and was present at the March on Washington and Bloody Sunday and was awarded the presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011.
2. Raul Grijalva
Arizona representative Raul Grijalva announced on January 13 that he would not be attending the inauguration not in an act of disrespect, but as an “act of defiance- at the disrespect shown to millions and millions of Americans by this incoming administration”.
3. Maxine Waters
Waters has publicly stated that she never planned on attending the inauguration or “any activities associated with” Trump. Waters is the most senior African American woman currently serving in Congress and has been a member since 1976. Waters has advocated for everything from anti-Apartheid laws to opposition of the war in Iraq.
4. Karen Bass
California representative and former Speaker Karen Bass took a unique approach to the issue of whether or not to attend the inauguration and took to Twitter to poll her followers (the poll is still open, by the way). So far nearly 13,000 people have voted, with 84% saying she should not attend.
5. Luis Gutierrez
A representative of Illinois, Luis Gutierrez is said to be the first politician to announce he would not be attending Trump’s inauguration in an interview with CNN in December. The son of Puerto Rican immigrants, Gutierrez has been called a “national leader on comprehensive immigration reform” and has drawn comparisons to Martin Luther King, Jr. for his policy of non-violent civil disobedience.
6. Keith Ellison
Ellison was the first Muslim elected to the House of Representatives as well as the first African American representative of Minnesota. He was backed by Bernie Sanders for the seat of Chair of the DNC and drew criticism in 2009 for taking his oath of office over the Quran instead of the Bible. Ellison tweeted yesterday that he would not “celebrate a man who preaches a politics of division and hate.”
7. Mark Pocan
Wisconsin representative Mark Pocan said in a Tweet that he was originally planning on attending the inauguration but changed his mind after the Russian hacking scandal and hearing Trump’s comments on John Lewis. Pocan is also one of three openly gay legislators in Wisconsin and referred to Trump as “an immature, undignified reality star with questionable friends and a Twitter addiction.”
This is only a small sample of the legislators who have publicly stated they will not be attending the inauguration on Friday. For a complete list, click here.