Attending the Inauguration Is Morally Indefensible. Here Are the Democrats Who Might Anyway.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
At least 65 House Democrats have signaled their intention to boycott the inauguration of Donald Trump. Leading the way is congressman and civil rights icon John Lewis, who denied the legitimacy of Trump’s presidency on Meet the Press this past weekend. “I think the Russians participated in helping this man get elected,” he said. “You cannot be at home with something that you feel that is wrong, is not right.” After Trump lashed out against Lewis’ comments on Twitter, a slew of Congress members announced they’d be joining him in sitting out Friday’s events. “Donald Trump has shown an utter lack of respect for so many Americans,” Rep. Joaquin Castro said in a representative statement.” “His attack on civil rights hero John Lewis is the latest example. I will not attend this year’s inauguration ceremony.”
Reading these statements one gets the impression that refusing to attend Trump’s inauguration should be acknowledged as a brave stand. In fact, the decision to attend should be considered a basic, easy test of moral competence—one the vast majority of Democratic legislators, who have either signaled their intention to attend or said nothing at all about their plans—seem prepared to fail. No Democrat, not a single one, should be going to the inauguration.
The stock response of those who defend respecting the inauguration as a civic tradition is treacly mush about celebrating the peaceful transition of power—a feature of our democracy that has been routine for more than two centuries now. This was the excuse Cory Booker went with on Monday. “I respect our institutions, and so I'll be there just like the president will be there and most of my Senate colleagues,” he said. The fact that Donald Trump, by questioning the legitimacy of the election process during the campaign and openly endorsing violence against peaceful demonstrators, has done more than any recent candidate to undermine and discredit our democratic institutions and norms oddly escaped mention. Sen. Sherrod Brown offered more creative reasoning, telling the Washington Post that his attendance would “remind” Trump of the fights with Democrats that lie ahead. It will do no such thing. If anything, it will signal to Trump that the Democratic Party’s fealty to civic tradition places a ceiling on their capacity for dissent—a weakness capable of strategic exploitation.
But attending the inauguration will ultimately be more than a strategic failure and more than a missed opportunity to reprimand Trump. To attend an inauguration of a politician you believe to be dangerous is to sidestep acknowledgment, for the sake of empty pageantry, that politics have consequences. With Trump, the consequences are that real human beings, not abstractions, will have their finances upended, their immigrant families torn apart, their health care taken away. People will die. Solemnity, deference, pomp, and circumstance obscure these facts. They should not—for the sake of tradition, or for any reason whatsoever—be ignored for a single day moving forward.
Trump offers myriad other reasons not to fete his promotion to leadership of the free world. He has mocked the disabled, he has slandered immigrants and Muslims, he is a fraudster with the self-control of a small child. But there are 13 rather specific reasons not to attend the inauguration Democrats ought to find particularly compelling. They have names.
Kristin Anderson was deep in conversation with acquaintances at a crowded Manhattan nightspot and did not notice the figure to her right on a red velvet couch—until, she recalls, his fingers slid under her miniskirt, moved up her inner thigh and touched her vagina through her underwear.
Anderson shoved the hand away, fled the couch and turned to take her first good look at the man who had touched her, she said.
She recognized him as Donald Trump.
“I was surprised when I overheard him talking to the other men about me. He said: ‘Hey, look at this one, we haven’t seen her before. Look at those legs,’ as though I were an object rather than a person.
“He then walked up to me and reached out his right arm and grabbed my right arm,” she continued. “Then his hand touched the right side of my breast. I was in shock. I flinched. ‘Don’t you know who I am? Don’t you know who I am?’ – that’s what he said to me. I felt intimidated and I felt powerless. When my car pulled up and I got in, after I closed the door, my shock turned to shame.”
Trump made the rounds greeting members of his club. When he stopped at their table, Heller recalled, and her mother-in-law introduced her, she stood and extended her hand.
“He took my hand, and grabbed me, and went for the lips,” she claimed.
Alarmed, she said she leaned backwards to avoid him and almost lost her balance. “And he said, ‘Oh, come on.’ He was strong. And he grabbed me and went for my mouth and went for my lips.”
When they arrived at his room, she said, “he grabbed each of us tightly in a hug and kissed each one of us without asking permission.” A security guard was present.
According to Drake, Trump was “wearing pajamas.” The three women were asked questions about their jobs, including what it was like to film pornography.
We walked into that room alone, and Trump shut the door behind us. I turned around, and within seconds he was pushing me against the wall and forcing his tongue down my throat.
Now, I’m a tall, strapping girl who grew up wrestling two giant brothers. I even once sparred with Mike Tyson. It takes a lot to push me. But Trump is much bigger — a looming figure — and he was fast, taking me by surprise and throwing me off balance. I was stunned. And I was grateful when Trump’s longtime butler burst into the room a minute later, as I tried to unpin myself.
"I was admiring the decoration, and next thing I know he's pushing me against a wall and has his hands all over me,” Harth told me. “He was trying to kiss me. I was freaking out."
"Do y'all remember that one time we had to do our onstage introductions, but this one guy treated us like cattle and made us do it again because we didn't look him in the eyes? Do you also remember when he then proceeded to have us lined up so he could get a closer look at his property?"
More than three decades ago, when she was a traveling businesswoman at a paper company, Ms. Leeds said, she sat beside Mr. Trump in the first-class cabin of a flight to New York. They had never met before. About 45 minutes after takeoff, she recalled, Mr. Trump lifted the armrest and began to touch her. According to Ms. Leeds, Mr. Trump grabbed her breasts and tried to put his hand up her skirt. “He was like an octopus,” she said. “His hands were everywhere.”
"He kissed me directly on the lips. I thought: 'Oh, my gosh. Gross.' He was married to Marla Maples at the time. I think there were a few other girls that he kissed on the mouth. I was like, 'Wow, that's inappropriate.' "
"This was a pretty good nudge. More of a grab. It was pretty close to the center of my butt. I was startled. I jumped."
Aware that her company did business with Mr. Trump, she turned and introduced herself. They shook hands, but Mr. Trump would not let go, she said. Instead, he began kissing her cheeks. Then, she said, he “kissed me directly on the mouth.” “It didn’t feel like an accident,” she said. “It felt like a violation.”
Speaking in a … news conference with her attorney, Gloria Allred, Zervos said that Trump kissed her "aggressively" and touched her breast. She said he also led her into the bedroom. After she walked out, he embraced her. She tried to push him away, and he "began thrusting his genitals."
"Trump took Tic Tacs, suggested I take them also. He then leaned in, catching me off guard, and kissed me almost on lips. I was really freaked out. ... After (the meeting), Trump asked me to come into his office alone … I ran the hell out of there.”
The following Democratic lawmakers have not signaled their intention to skip the peaceful transition of power to the man described in allegations by the 13 women above:
Senate
California
Feinstein, Dianne – (202) 224-3841
Harris, Kamala – (202) 224-3553
Colorado
Bennet, Michael – (202) 224-5852
Connecticut
Blumenthal, Richard – (202) 224-2823
Murphy, Chris – (202) 224-4041
Delaware
Carper, Thomas – (202) 224-2441
Coons, Christopher – (202) 224-5042
Florida
Nelson, Bill – (202) 224-5274
Hawaii
Hirono, Mazie – (202) 224-6361
Schatz, Brian – (202) 224-3934
Indiana
Donnelly, Joe – (202) 224-4814
Illinois
Duckworth, Tammy – (202) 224-2854
Durbin, Richard – (202) 224-2152
Maine
King, Angus – (202) 224-5344*
Massachusetts
Markey, Edward – (202) 224-2742
Warren, Elizabeth – (202) 224-4543
Maryland
Cardin, Ben – (202) 224-4524
Van Hollen, Chris – (202) 224-4654
Michigan
Peters, Gary – (202) 224-6221
Stabenow, Debbie – (202) 224-4822
Minnesota
Franken, Al – (202) 224-5641
Klobuchar, Amy – (202) 224-3244
Missouri
McCaskill, Claire – (202) 224-6154
Montana
Tester, Jon – (202) 224-2644
Nevada
Cortez Masto, Catherine – (202) 224-3542
New Hampshire
Hassan, Maggie – (202) 224-3324
Shaheen, Jeanne – (202) 224-2841
New Jersey
Booker, Cory – (202) 224-3224
Menendez, Robert – (202) 224-4744
New Mexico
Heinrich, Martin – (202) 224-5521
Udall, Tom – (202) 224-6621
New York
Gillibrand, Kirsten – (202) 224-4451
Schumer, Charles – (202) 224-6542
North Dakota
Heitkamp, Heidi – (202) 224-2043
Ohio
Brown, Sherrod – (202) 224-2315
Oregon
Merkley, Jeff – (202) 224-3753
Wyden, Ron – (202) 224-5244
Pennsylvania
Casey, Robert P., Jr. – (202) 224-6324
Rhode Island
Reed, Jack – (202) 224-4642
Whitehouse, Sheldon – (202) 224-2921
Vermont
Leahy, Patrick – (202) 224-4242
Sanders, Bernie – (202) 224-5141*
Virginia
Kaine, Timothy – (202) 224-4024
Warner, Mark – (202) 224-2023
Washington
Cantwell, Maria – (202) 224-3441
Murray, Patty – (202) 224-2621
West Virginia
Manchin III, Joe – (202) 224-3954
Wisconsin
Baldwin, Tammy – (202) 224-5653
*Bernie Sanders and Angus King are independents who caucus with Democrats.
House of Representatives
Arizona
O'Halleran, Tom
Arizona 1st District
202-225-3361
Sinema, Kyrsten
Arizona 9th District
202-225-9888
California
Garamendi, John
California 3rd District
202-225-1880
Thompson, Mike
California 5th District
202-225-3311
Matsui, Doris O.
California 6th District
202-225-7163
Bera, Ami
California 7th District
202-225-5716
Pelosi, Nancy
California 12th District
202-225-4965
Speier, Jackie
California 14th District
202-225-3531
Swalwell, Eric
California 15th District
202-225-5065
Costa, Jim
California 16th District
202-225-3341
Khanna, Ro
California 17th District
202-225-2631
Eshoo, Anna G.
California 18th District
202-225-8104
Panetta, Jimmy
California 20th District
202-225-2861
Carbajal, Salud
California 24th District
202-225-3601
Brownley, Julia
California 26th District
202-225-5811
Schiff, Adam
California 28th District
202-225-4176
Sherman, Brad
California 30th District
202-225-5911
Aguilar, Pete
California 31st District
202-225-3201
Becerra, Xavier
California 34th District
202-225-6235
Torres, Norma
California 35th District
202-225-6161
Sánchez, Linda
California 38th District
202-225-6676
Barragán, Nanette
California 44th District
202-225-8220
Correa, J. Luis
California 46th District
202-225-2965
Lowenthal, Alan
California 47th District
202-225-7924
Peters, Scott
California 52nd District
202-225-0508
Davis, Susan
California 53rd District
202-225-2040
Colorado
DeGette, Diana
Colorado 1st District
202-225-4431
Polis, Jared
Colorado 2nd District
202-225-2161
Perlmutter, Ed
Colorado 7th District
202-225-2645
Connecticut
Larson, John B.
Connecticut 1st District
202-225-2265
Courtney, Joe
Connecticut 2nd District
202-225-2076
DeLauro, Rosa L.
Connecticut 3rd District
202-225-3661
Himes, Jim
Connecticut 4th District
202-225-5541
Esty, Elizabeth
Connecticut 5th District
202-225-4476
Delaware
Blunt Rochester, Lisa
Delaware At-Large
202-225-4165
District of Columbia
Norton, Eleanor Holmes
District of Columbia At-Large
202-225-8050
Florida
Lawson, Al
Florida 5th District
202-225-0123
Murphy, Stephanie
Florida 7th District
202-225-4035
Demings, Val
Florida 10th District
202-225-2176
Crist, Charlie
Florida 13th District
202-225-5961
Castor, Kathy
Florida 14th District
202-225-3376
Frankel, Lois
Florida 21st District
202-225-9890
Deutch, Ted
Florida 22nd District
202-225-3001
Wasserman Schultz, Debbie
Florida 23rd District
202-225-7931
Georgia
Bishop Jr., Sanford D.
Georgia 2nd District
202-225-3631
Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" Jr.
Georgia 4th District
202-225-1605
Scott, David
Georgia 13th District
202-225-2939
Guam
Bordallo, Madeleine
Guam At-Large
202-225-1188
Hawaii
Hanabusa, Colleen
Hawaii 1st District
202-225-2726
Gabbard, Tulsi
Hawaii 2nd District
202-225-4906
Illinois
Rush, Bobby L.
Illinois 1st District
202-225-4372
Kelly, Robin
Illinois 2nd District
202-225-0773
Davis, Danny K.
Illinois 7th District
202-225-5006
Krishnamoorthi, Raja
Illinois 8th District
202-225-3711
Schneider, Bradley
Illinois 10th District
202-225-4835
Foster, Bill
Illinois 11th District
202-225-3515
Bustos, Cheri
Illinois 17th District
202-225-5905
Indiana
Visclosky, Peter
Indiana 1st District
202-225-2461
Carson, André
Indiana 7th District
202-225-4011
Iowa
Loebsack, David
Iowa 2nd District
202-225-6576
Louisiana
Richmond, Cedric
Louisiana 2nd District
202-225-6636
Maryland
Ruppersberger, C. A. Dutch
Maryland 2nd District
202-225-3061
Sarbanes, John P.
Maryland 3rd District
202-225-4016
Hoyer, Steny H.
Maryland 5th District
202-225-4131
Delaney, John
Maryland 6th District
202-225-2721
Cummings, Elijah
Maryland 7th District
202-225-4741
Massachussetts
Neal, Richard E.
Massachusetts 1st District
202-225-5601
McGovern, James
Massachusetts 2nd District
202-225-6101
Tsongas, Niki
Massachusetts 3rd District
202-225-3411
Kennedy III, Joseph P.
Massachusetts 4th District
202-225-5931
Moulton, Seth
Massachusetts 6th District
202-225-8020
Lynch, Stephen F.
Massachusetts 8th District
202-225-8273
Keating, William
Massachusetts 9th District
202-225-3111
Michigan
Kildee, Daniel
Michigan 5th District
202-225-3611
Levin, Sander
Michigan 9th District
202-225-4961
Dingell, Debbie
Michigan 12th District
202-225-4071
Lawrence, Brenda
Michigan 14th District
202-225-5802
Minnesota
Walz, Timothy J.
Minnesota 1st District
202-225-2472
McCollum, Betty
Minnesota 4th District
202-225-6631
Peterson, Collin C.
Minnesota 7th District
202-225-2165
Nolan, Rick
Minnesota 8th District
202-225-6211
Missouri
Cleaver, Emanuel
Missouri 5th District
202-225-4535
Nevada
Titus, Dina
Nevada 1st District
202-225-5965
Rosen, Jacky
Nevada 3rd District
202-225-3252
Kihuen, Ruben
Nevada 4th District
202-225-9894
New Hampshire
Kuster, Ann
New Hampshire 2nd District
202-225-5206
New Jersey
Norcross, Donald
New Jersey 1st District
202-225-6501
Gottheimer, Josh
New Jersey 5th District
202-225-4465
Pallone Jr., Frank
New Jersey 6th District
202-225-4671
Sires, Albio
New Jersey 8th District
202-225-7919
Pascrell Jr., Bill
New Jersey 9th District
202-225-5751
New Mexico
Lujan Grisham, Michelle
New Mexico 1st District
202-225-6316
Lujan, Ben R.
New Mexico 3rd District
202-225-6190
New York
Suozzi, Thomas
New York 3rd District
202-225-3335
Rice, Kathleen
New York 4th District
202-225-5516
Meeks, Gregory W.
New York 5th District
202-225-3461
Jeffries, Hakeem
New York 8th District
202-225-5936
Maloney, Carolyn
New York 12th District
202-225-7944
Crowley, Joseph
New York 14th District
202-225-3965
Engel, Eliot
New York 16th District
202-225-2464
Lowey, Nita
New York 17th District
202-225-6506
Maloney, Sean Patrick
New York 18th District
202-225-5441
Tonko, Paul D.
New York 20th District
202-225-5076
Higgins, Brian
New York 26th District
202-225-3306
North Carolina
Price, David
North Carolina 4th District
202-225-1784
Mariana Islands
Sablan, Gregorio
Northern Mariana Islands At-Large
202-225-2646
Ohio
Beatty, Joyce
Ohio 3rd District
202-225-4324
Kaptur, Marcy
Ohio 9th District
202-225-4146
Ryan, Tim
Ohio 13th District
202-225-5261
Oregon
Bonamici, Suzanne
Oregon 1st District
202-225-0855
Pennsylvania
Cartwright, Matthew
Pennsylvania 17th District
202-225-5546
Rhode Island
Cicilline, David
Rhode Island 1st District
202-225-4911
Langevin, Jim
Rhode Island 2nd District
202-225-2735
South Carolina
Clyburn, James E.
South Carolina 6th District
202-225-3315
Tennessee
Cooper, Jim
Tennessee 5th District
202-225-4311
Texas
Gonzalez, Vicente
Texas 15th District
202-225-2531
O'Rourke, Beto
Texas 16th District
202-225-4831
Jackson Lee, Sheila
Texas 18th District
202-225-3816
Cuellar, Henry
Texas 28th District
202-225-1640
Green, Gene
Texas 29th District
202-225-1688
Johnson, Eddie Bernice
Texas 30th District
202-225-8885
Veasey, Marc
Texas 33rd District
202-225-9897
Vela, Filemon
Texas 34th District
202-225-9901
Vermont
Welch, Peter
Vermont At-Large
202-225-4115
Virgin Islands
Plaskett, Stacey
Virgin Islands At-Large
202-225-1790
Virginia
Scott, Robert C.
Virginia 3rd District
202-225-8351
Washington
DelBene, Suzan
Washington 1st District
202-225-6311
Larsen, Rick
Washington 2nd District
202-225-2605
Kilmer, Derek
Washington 6th District
202-225-5916
Heck, Denny
Washington 10th District
202-225-9740
Wisconsin
Kind, Ron
Wisconsin 3rd District
202-225-5506
Moore, Gwen
Wisconsin 4th District
202-225-4572
This post will be updated as more boycotts are announced.
Update, 5:14 pm: Rep. Terri Sewell (D-Ala.), Rep. Grace Meng (D-N.Y.), Rep. Donald McEachin, Rep. Robert Brady (D-Pa.), and Rep. Michael Capuano (D-Ma.) have announced they will not be attending the inauguration.
*Correction, Jan. 18, 2017: The post originally misstated that Barbara Mikulski, Harry Reid, and Barbara Boxer are currently in the Senate. They have been replaced in the new Congress with Chris Van Hollen, Catherine Cortez Masto, and Kamala Harris, respectively. Maggie Hassan and Tammy Duckworth have also been added to the list.