Trump clashes with civil rights leader as inauguration looms

Donald Trump’s feud with civil rights icon John Lewis is highlighting the president-elect’s willingness to attack any and all political rivals even with his inauguration less than a week away.

The Republican billionaire slammed the Democratic congressman — and his Atlanta-area district — on Saturday, a day after Lewis described Trump as an illegitimate president. Lewis, like a handful of Democratic lawmakers, vowed to skip Trump’s Friday swearing-in ceremony.

Trump tweeted that Lewis “should spend more time on fixing and helping his district, which is in horrible shape and falling apart (not to mention crime infested) rather than falsely complaining about the election results.”

The incoming president added: “All talk, talk, talk — no action or results. Sad!”

Trump continued to jab Lewis on Saturday night, charging that the congressman “should finally focus on the burning and crime infested inner-cities of the US”

“I can use all the help I can get!” Trump tweeted.

Trump’s response was in line with his aggressive style throughout his unorthodox campaign in which he found political success even while attacking widely lauded figures- a prisoner of war, parents of a slain US soldier, and a beauty queen, among others.

Lewis is among the most revered leaders of the civil rights movement and devoted his life to promoting equal rights for African-Americans. He suffered a fractured skull while leading the march in Selma, Alabama more than a half century ago.

“The tweet is unnecessary, it’s unfortunate,” former Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele, who is African-American, said on MSNBC

“John Lewis has a walk that very few people in this country — least of all Donald Trump — have ever walked. So you have to respect that and pay attention to that in a real sense,” Steele said.

One of Lewis’ Democratic colleagues, Rep. Ted Lieu also declared he would skip Trump’s inauguration, in part to defend Lewis.

“Trump — who lost the popular vote — has made a series of racist, sexist and bigoted statements. In addition, he has attacked Gold Star parents, veterans such as John McCain and now civil rights icon John Lewis,” Lieu said.

He added, “For me, the personal decision not to attend the Inauguration is quite simple: Do I stand with Donald Trump, or do I stand with John Lewis? I am standing with John Lewis.”

The weekend clash highlighted the sharp contrast between how many African-Americans view Trump’s inauguration compared with that of Barack Obama, the nation’s first black president, eight years ago. Trump critics also noted that his aggressive tweet came days before the national holiday honouring Martin Luther King Jr.

Trump’s assertion that Lewis’ district is “falling apart” and “crime infested” is hard to back up with facts.

Georgia’s 5th Congressional District, which includes the Atlanta metro region, is considered one of the nation’s fastest-growing areas, although its crime and poverty rates are higher than the national average.

The district has an 8.2 per cent unemployment rate and the median household income is about $48,000 (Dh176,304), according to the Census Bureau.

The area also covers part of the upscale Atlanta neighbourhood of Buckhead, along with the headquarters for Fortune 500 companies such as Coca-Cola and Delta Air Lines, Emory University, Georgia Tech, several historically black colleges and universities and the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, one of the world’s busiest.

The Lewis-Trump feud began when the 16-term congressman said he would not attend Trump’s swearing-in ceremony. It will mark the first time he skipped an inauguration since joining Congress three decades ago.

“You know, I believe in forgiveness. I believe in trying to work with people. It will be hard. It’s going to be very difficult. I don’t see this president-elect as a legitimate president,” Lewis said in an interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press” set to air Sunday.

“I think the Russians participated in helping this man get elected. And they helped destroy the candidacy of Hillary Clinton,” Lewis said.

US intelligence agencies have said that Russia, in a campaign ordered by President Vladimir Putin, meddled in the election to help Trump win. After spending weeks challenging that assessment, Trump finally accepted that the Russians were behind the election-year hacking of Democrats. But he also emphasised that “there was absolutely no effect on the outcome of the election including the fact that there was no tampering whatsoever with voting machines.”

At least 18 Democratic lawmakers have said they will boycott US President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration this week, after disclosure of Russia’s alleged meddling in the 2016 election and his rebuke of civil rights icon John Lewis, according to a media report on Sunday.

Democratic Representative Lewis blasted Trump in an interview to a news channel, saying he would boycott the ceremony for the first time since he arrived in Congress in 1987 because he doesn’t see Trump as a “legitimate” president in light of Russian interference, CNN reported.

Lewis was one of three black lawmakers to testify against Trump’s attorney general nominee Sen. Jeff Sessions last week.

Trump had called Lewis “all talk” and “no action” and told him to focus more on “fixing and helping” his district rather than “complaining” about the Russia’s role.

“I will NOT attend the inauguration of @realDonaldTrump. When you insult @repjohnlewis, you insult America,” tweeted New York Rep. Yvette Clarke, making public his decision to boycott Trump’s swearing-in ceremony on January 20.

Some members of Congress have said they will be protesting in DC and in their districts instead of attending the event.

“’All talk, no action.’ I stand with @repjohnlewis and I will not be attending the inauguration,” California Rep. Mark Takano tweeted.

“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,” California Rep. Ted Lieu said in a statement released by his office.

Arizona Rep. Raul Grijalva said he will not be attending the inauguration of Trump as the next president.

The office of Michigan Rep. John Conyers, the dean of the United House of Representatives, confirmed to CNN he won’t be attending the inauguration.

“It is with a heavy heart and deep personal conviction that I have decided not to attend the #TrumpInauguration on January 20, 2017,” California Rep. Mark DeSaulnier tweeted.

“I will not be attending inauguration of @realDonaldTrump but WILL participate in the @womensmarch on January 21st,” New York Rep. Nydia Velazquez tweeted.

Oregon Rep. Kurt Schrader said, “I’ll do my best to work with him (Trump) when I think he’s doing the right thing for the country. But he hasn’t proved himself to me at all yet, so I respectfully decline to freeze my [expletive] out there in the cold for this particular ceremony.”

Missouri Rep. William Lacy Clay’s spokesperson said that Clay will be in his home state speaking to schoolchildren.

California Rep. Barbara Lee said she wouldn’t endorse a president defined by “racism, sexism, xenophobia and bigotry.”

New York Rep. Jose Serrano, California Rep. Judy Chu, Illinois Rep. Luis Gutierrez, California Rep. Jared Huffman, Massachusetts Rep. Katherine Clark, Oregon Rep. Earl Blumenauer, New York Rep. Adriano Espaillat are among others who have decided not to attend the inauguration

source : gulfnews