Rep. Maxine Waters will skip Trump’s address to Congress tonight and reportedly encouraged others not to attend as well.
.@MaxineWaters is skipping Trump's speech to Congress. Told caucus this morning that anyone who can't sit still shouldn't go, per sources.
— Ben Siegel (@bensiegel) February 28, 2017
Waters was one of nearly 70 elected Democrats who chose to boycott Trump’s inauguration. Some Democrats claimed they had other things to do that day, but most, including Waters, said their refusal to attend was about resistance to Trump. Waters began talking about President Trump’s impeachment even before he was inaugurated and hasn’t stopped since.
Talked to her at dnc meeting. She thinks party should be making more aggressive case for impeachment https://t.co/Twn0v32rJS
— Jonathan Martin (@jmartNYT) February 28, 2017
The Hill reports that Waters’ office confirmed she would not attend the speech but denied she was encouraging others not to do so. So far, she appears to be the only Democrat planning to boycott though Rep. John Lewis told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution today, “I don’t know what I’m going to do right at this moment.” Rep. Eliot Engel announced today that he will attend the speech but, for the first time in 29 years, he will not stand near the aisle to shake the President’s hand as he enters the chamber:
Meanwhile, Democrats who attend tonight’s speech are vowing to be dignified:
Overall attitude in Dem caucus, per Rep. Frankel – "We're going to be as dignified as possible … No one is going to yell 'You lie!'"
— Ben Siegel (@bensiegel) February 28, 2017
Politico reports Rep. Pelosi has vowed not to be out-classed by Republicans:
“I think we have to deal with this in the utmost dignity. We cannot become them; we don’t like what they did to our president,” House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said during a closed-door caucus meeting on Tuesday morning.
“We cannot be out-classed by Donald Trump, that would be the worst of all outcomes.”
Will Democrats manage to keep it together tonight even as Trump vows to dismantle Obamacare and increase military spending?
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