RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - Two of North Carolina’s representatives to Congress are joining more than 40 other House Democrats who plan to boycott the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, while a third is still considering what to do.
Democratic Reps. G.K. Butterfield and Alma Adams said Monday they won’t attend Trump’s swearing-in Friday at the U.S. Capitol. The number of lawmakers who initially said they would skip the event has increased after Trump lashed out at Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., on Saturday for challenging his legitimacy to be the next president.
Lewis, a leader of the civil rights movement suffered a fractured skull while leading the march in Selma, Alabama. He said last week that he would not attend Trump’s inauguration.
“Considering Mr. Trump’s brand of division & insult, I believe it would be hurtful to my constituents for me to attend the inauguration,” Butterfield, the outgoing chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, wrote in a three-part tweet. “It is my hope that President Trump will transform his behavior and lead our nation in a positive direction for all Americans.”
Adams, who like Lewis and Butterfield is black, said in a news release that Trump has not honored the promise he made in November to help Americans find common ground. She said she would stay at home to work on priorities and meet with constituents, “many of who are fearful of what lies ahead.”
“I cherish our democracy and have a profound respect for the peaceful transition of power,” she said. “However, 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,” the statement said.
Rep. David Price shares many of the concerns of his colleagues that Trump “presents an unprecedented affront to our democratic norms and the dignity of the Office of the President,” spokesman Lawrence Kluttz said in an email. “At the same time, it is important to affirm support for these norms and the rule of law.”
Price, who is white, is discussing the issue with family, colleagues and constituents, Kluttz said.
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