So Far, 18 Elected Democrats Say They Will Resist the Trump Regime by Boycotting the Inauguration

Back in early December, Rep. Luis Gutiérrez of Illinois’ 5th Congressional District was the first Democrat to announce he would not be attending the inauguration of Donald Trump January 20 because the pr*sident-elect is a fountain of "hatred, bigotry and prejudice." He told CNN on December 2:

"I can't go to this inauguration because he continues to spew hatred, bigotry and prejudice—even after he said he was going to bring us all together, he was going to unify us, but he's not." 

Since then, 18 others, have announced in interviews, written statements on the floor of the House that they, too, have decided they cannot in good conscience attend. No senators have yet declared that they will not attend. One boycotter, Rep. Barbara Lee, who represents California’s 13th CD,saidin a January 12 statement:

“Inaugurations are celebratory events, a time to welcome the peaceful transition of power and honor the new administration. On January 20th, I will not be celebrating or honoring an incoming president who rode racism, sexism, xenophobia and bigotry to the White House.

“Donald Trump ran one of the most divisive and prejudiced campaigns in modern history. He began his campaign by insulting Mexican immigrants, pledging to build a wall between the United States and Mexico and then spent a year and a half denigrating communities of color and normalizing bigotry. He called women ‘pigs’, stoked Islamophobia, and attacked a Gold Star family. He mocked a disabled reporter and appealed to people’s worst instincts.  I cannot in good conscience attend an inauguration that would celebrate this divisive approach to governance.

“After the election, many hoped the president-elect would turn toward unifying our country. Instead he has shown us that he will utilize the same tools of division he employed on the campaign trail as our nation’s Commander-in-Chief. We need look no further than the team he is assembling to find signals that the era of Trump will be one of chaos and devastation for our communities.