It looks like A-list celebrity performers may not be the only ones skipping President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration. While several political figures, including George W. Bush and Hillary Clinton will be in attendance when Trump is sworn in as the 45th president of the United States on January 20, a number of lawmakers who oppose Trump are refusing to show up. Some have signaled their boycott of the inauguration as a preview of how they will oppose Trump’s incoming administration. Here are the lawmakers who are not going to Trump’s inauguration: Civil-rights icon John Lewis said he will skip the inauguration ceremony for moral reasons. “You cannot be at home with something that you feel that is wrong,” Lewis told MSNBC’s Chuck Todd in an interview set to air on Sunday. Lewis has also cast doubt on the veracity of Trump’s electoral victory, citing the US intelligence community’s findings that Russia employed cyberattacks to boost Trump and hurt his rival Hillary Clinton: “I don’t see this president-elect as a legitimate president,” Lewis said. It’s worth noting the congressman also skipped the inauguration of President George W. Bush in 2001. The Washington Post reported at the time that he didn’t view Bush as a legitimately elected president. Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect that Lewis skipped Bush’s inauguration ceremony in 2001. A previous version incorrectly stated he had attended every inauguration since 1986. On Inauguration Day California Rep. Barbara Lee said she will be gearing up to oppose Trump’s administration. “Donald Trump has proven that his administration will normalize the most extreme fringes of the Republican Party,” Lee said in a statement. “On Inauguration Day, I will not be celebrating. I will be organizing and preparing for resistance.” Illinois Rep. Luis Gutierrez cited Trump’s hard-line immigration policies and his views on women’s rights as his reason to boycott the inauguration. “I cannot go to [the] inauguration of a man who’s going to appoint people to the Supreme Court and turn back the clock on women and turn back the clock on immigrants and the safety and freedom that we fought for them,” Gutierez said in an interview on CNN. Massachusetts Rep. Katherine Clark said her attendance would only serve to “normalize” Trump’s politics. “After discussions with hundreds of my constituents, I do not feel that I can contribute to the normalization of the President-elect’s divisive rhetoric by participating in the Inauguration,” Clark said in a statement. California Rep. Jared Huffman warned that there is nothing ordinary about Trump and his policies. “I do accept the election results and support the peaceful transfer of power, but it is abundantly clear to me that with Donald Trump as our President, the United States is entering a dark and very dangerous political chapter,” Huffman said in a Facebook post published January 7. “I will do everything I can to limit the damage and the duration of this chapter, and I believe we can get through it. But I will not sit passively and politely applaud as it begins,” he said.
Arizona Rep. Raúl Grijalva said he would be taking time on Inauguration Day to meet with constituents and activists in his district. “My absence is not motivated by disrespect for the office or motivated by disrespect for the government that we have in this great democracy. But as an individual act, yes, of defiance, at the disrespect shown to millions and millions of Americans by this incoming administration and by the actions we are taking in this Congress,” Grijalva said. Oregon Rep. Earl Blumenauer said he will be skipping Trump’s inauguration out of “unprecedented concern” from his constituents. “I will forgo the inauguration, spending the day instead in my district talking with Oregonians to hear their priorities, try to answer their questions and prepare for the coming assault on the values and programs we hold dear,” Blumenauer said in a Facebook post published on January 7. Rep. Mark Takano took issue with Trump attacks against Rep. John Lewis on Saturday, saying, “I stand with John Lewis and I will not be attending the inauguration.” Velazquez said she would attend a women’s march in Washington instead, which was expected to draw 200,000 participants. “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 said in a statement. When you insult John Lewis, you insult America, New York Rep. Yvette Clarke said in a tweet on Saturday. “It is with a heavy heart and deep personal conviction that I have decided not to attend the #TrumpInauguration on January 20, 2017,” DeSaulnier tweeted Saturday. Conyers told CNN he would be attending Trump’s inauguration. Schrader said during an appearance on Oregon Public Broadcasting Friday: “I’m just not a big Trump fan. I’ve met the guy and never been impressed with him.” A representative for Clay told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch Clay will be “back home in St. Louis speaking to school kids.” Serrano tweeted Thursday he “cannot celebrate the inauguration of a man who has no regard for my constituents.” “I cannot in good faith and consciousness pretend to celebrate the inauguration of someone who has spoken so horribly about women, minorities and the disabled. Instead, I am staying home to continue working toward our priorities and to meet with constituents, many of who are fearful of what lies ahead,” Adams said in a statement. Bass decided poll her followers on Twitter about whether she should attend Trump’s inauguration. The results: 84 % said no while 16 percent said yes. “After receiving an overwhelming response on the twitter poll, I’ve decided not to attend the inauguration of President-elect Trump,” Bass said in a tweet. “His values and his actions are the antithesis of those I hold dear. It would be the height of hypocrisy for me to pretend to be part of this inaugural celebration,” Beyer said in a statement. Brown cited Trump’s remarks about Lewis as his reason for not attending his inauguration. “Not only did the president-elect disrespect John Lewis the civil rights icon, but he disrespected Congressman John Lewis, and that was the tipping point,” Brown said in an interview with The Baltimore Sun. “After prayerful consideration, I cannot in good conscious attend the inaugural ceremony for President-elect Donald Trump,” Butterfield said in a three-part-tweet. “After serious consideration, I have decided that I will not stand with Donald Trump during his ceremonial inauguration. He has been consistent in his words and actions — he has disrespected countless Americans — women, civil rights leaders, Hispanics, people with disabilities, Muslims, gold star families, African Americans, POWs, and more. I feel this decision best represents my family, constituents, and country,” Cardenas said in a Facebook post. “Every American should respect the office of the presidency and the fact that Donald Trump will be the 45th President of the United States. But winning an election does not mean a man can show contempt for millions of Americans and then expect those very people to celebrate him,” Castro said in a statement. “After much thought, I have decided to #StandWithJohnLewis and not attend the inauguration,” Chu wrote on Twitter. “Announced @ Mason Temple, #MLK final speech, that I won’t attend #inauguration out of respect for @repjohnlewis & for unpresidential remarks,” Cohen wrote on Twitter. “I usually do not attend presidential inauguration ceremonies and do my best to avoid pomp and circumstance events in Washington, and this year will be no different,” DeFazio said in a statement. “Respect, like Pennsylvania Avenue, is a two-way street. Instead of uniting the country, his continued unprecedented, unpresidential actions are dividing it. By repeatedly taking the lowest road, he is not showing respect for the highest office. We are in for a long struggle that must strategically utilize every nonviolent opposition tool available,” Doggett said in a statement on Twitter. “I’m going to #StandWithJohnLewis. I won’t attend the Inauguration on Friday,” Doyle announced on Twitter Tuesday. “I will not celebrate a man who preaches a politics of division and hate. I won’t be attending Donald Trump’s inauguration,” said on Twitter Monday. “I will NOT be attending the inauguration for @realDonaldTrump!” Espaillat said on Twitter. “I #StandWithJohnLewis. I will not be attending the inauguration. Russian hacking must be investigated and I do not support the repeal of ACA,” Evans said on Twitter. “As I told @JoyAnnReid, I will not be attending #Inauguration. I will be at home in Cleveland. #IStandWithJohnLewis,” Fudge said on Twitter. “We must stand against Trump’s bigotries- birther conspiracies, attacks on Gold Star parents & civil rights heroes. I won’t attend inauguration,” Gallego said on Twitter. “Dr. King was right when he indicated: On some issues ‘cowardice asks the question, is it safe? Expediency asks the question, is it politic? Vanity asks the question, is it popular? But, conscience asks the question, is it right? And there comes a time when we must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but one must take it because it is right.’ “I will not attend the inauguration because conscience says it is the right thing to do,” Green said in a statement. “I have decided to boycott the Inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump and remain in my Congressional district in Florida. This decision is not a protest of the results of the Electoral College, but rather, an objection to the demagoguery that continues to define the incoming administration,” Hastings said in a statement. “[Trump’s] disregard for the conflicts of interest he brings into this office, and his refusal to address those conflicts are the break from tradition on which we should focus,” Jayapal said in a statement to The Seattle Times. Lipinski’s aides told the Chicago Tribune he will not attend the inauguration ceremony. “I acknowledge the fact that he is the incoming president, but I’m not in the mood to celebrate that fact,” Lofgren said in an interview with the Los Angeles Times. “The election of Mr. Trump lacks legitimacy due to Russian hacking, which Mr. Trump encouraged, the FBI’s biased involvement, and other irregularities, and I cannot sanction the inauguration by attending the ceremony. However, because I support the peaceful transition of power and respect the office of the presidency, I will work with the new administration when possible to deliver for my district and move our country forward,” McNerney said in a statement. “The rhetoric and actions of Donald Trump have been so far beyond the pale — so disturbing and disheartening — and his continued failure to address his conflicts of interest, to adequately divest or even to fully disclose his financial dealings, or to sufficiently separate himself from the ethical misconduct that legal experts on both side of the aisle have identified have been so offensive I cannot in good conscience participate in this honored and revered democratic tradition of the peaceful transfer of power,” Nadler said in a statement. Napolitano will not be in attendance, according to the Los Angeles Times. “Donald Trump will be our president, and I will work with him if my values permit, and if doing so is in the best interest of my constituents and the nation. But I will not celebrate his swearing-in to an office that he has proven unfit to hold,” Payne said in a statement.
Rep. John Lewis of Georgia
Rep. Barbara Lee of California
Rep. Luis Gutierrez of Illinois
Rep. Katherine Clark of Massachusetts
Rep. Jared Huffman of California
Rep. Raúl Grijalva of Arizona.
Rep. Earl Blumenauer of Oregon
Rep. Mark Takano of California
Rep. Nydia Velazquez of New York
Rep. Ted Lieu of California
Rep. Yvette Clarke of New York
Rep. Mark DeSaulnier of California
Rep. John Conyers of Michigan
Rep. Kurt Schrader of Oregon
Rep. William Lacy Clay of Missouri
Rep. Jose Serrano of New York
Rep. Alma Adams of North Carolina
Rep. Karen Bass of California
Rep. Don Beyer of Virginia
Rep. Brendan Boyle of Philadelphia
Rep. Anthony G. Brown of Maryland
Rep. G.K. Butterfield of North Carolina
Rep. Tony Cardenas of California
Rep. Joaquin Castro of Texas
Rep. Judy Chu of California
Rep. Steve Cohen of Tennessee
Rep. Peter A. DeFazio of Oregon
Rep. Lloyd Doggett of Texas
Rep. Mike Doyle of Pennsylvania
Rep. Keith Ellison of Minnesota
Rep. Marcia L. Fudge of Ohio
Rep. Ruben Gallego of Arizona
Rep. Al Green of Texas
Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva of Arizona
Rep. Zoe Lofgren of California
Rep. Jerry McNerney of California
Rep. Jerrold Nadler of New York
Rep. Grace F. Napolitano of California
Rep. Donald Payne Jr. of New Jersey
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