Alabama 7th District U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell has confirmed she will join over 60 of her Democratic colleagues and boycott the inauguration ceremony for America’s 45th President, Republican Donald Trump.
Despite hailing from an overwhelmingly red state, Sewell is following her friend Georgia Congressman’s John Lewis’ lead and skipping the event. Citing Trump’s recent comments to Lewis as the reason she refuses to attend.
“While I have a profound respect for the office of the president, and I accept the results of the election, I simply cannot accept the blatant disrespect shown by President-elect Trump towards American civil rights icon, my colleague, friend and mentor, the Honorable John Lewis,’’ Sewell said in a statement.
Prayerfully, I have decided not to attend the inauguration. I simply cannot accept the blatant disrespect of @repjohnlewis. #IStandWithJohn
— Rep. Terri A. Sewell (@RepTerriSewell) January 18, 2017
Sewell continued, “This decision was reached with great deliberation because I am deeply saddened by the negative political rhetoric on both sides. We must move forward together. I sincerely hope that upon his ascension as our President, that President Trump will choose to build bridges, set aside differences and embrace John Lewis. In fact, there is a bridge in my district where we all can gain inspiration, and I invite President Trump and Congressman Lewis to join me in visiting Selma to walk hand-in-hand across that bridge as one nation, indivisible and united.”
Recently, the Trump and Lewis found themselves in a middle of a political feud, resulting in Lewis announcing he would not attend Trump’s inauguration. Since then over 60 of his Congressional colleagues, including Sewell, have also opted out of the historic event.
Sewell is however extending an olive branch to the president-elect and has invited him to Selma to join her and Lewis in crossing the Edmund Pettis Bridge, made famous on “Bloody Sunday.”
There’s a bridge in my district we all can gain inspiration! I invite Trump & Lewis to join me in Selma to cross that bridge as one nation!
— Rep. Terri A. Sewell (@RepTerriSewell) January 18, 2017
