Rep. John Lewis will not be attending Trump's inaugural, nor does he believe Trump is a legitimately-elected president.
Rep. John Lewis, a Democratic congressman from Georgia and civil-rights icon, told NBC's Chuck Todd in an interview for Sunday's "Meet the Press" that he believes Russia's alleged hacking aimed at helping Trump in the 2016 race makes Trump an illegitimate president.
Asked whether he would forge a relationship with President-elect Trump, Lewis said, "It's going to be very difficult. I don't see this president-elect as a legitimate president."
He added: "I think the Russians participated in helping this man get elected, and they helped destroy the candidacy of Hillary Clinton." Lewis called it a "conspiracy" and added: "That's not right. That's not fair. That's not the open democratic process."
Lewis added that he won't attend Trump's inauguration, which he said is unprecedented in his 30-year congressional career.
Meanwhile, after a briefing with James Comey this morning, Democrats came out shaking with anger.
"I was nonjudgmental until the last 15 minutes. I no longer have that confidence in him," Rep. Tim Walz (D-Minn.), ranking member of the Veterans Affairs Committee, said as he left the meeting in the Capitol.
"Some of the things that were revealed in this classified briefing — my confidence has been shook."
Rep. Elijah Cummings (Md.), senior Democrat on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, delivered a similar condemnation.
"I'm extremely concerned — extremely," he said.
"I'll just — I'm very angry," echoed Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.).
For John Lewis to say what he said was major. Just huge. It won't change the fact that Trump will be inaugurated, but I think he's right not to go. I don't think any Democrat should attend, and some are not. Hopefully more will follow Lewis' lead.
