US Rep. Keith Ellison won’t attend Trump inauguration

Published 10:08 am Tuesday, January 17, 2017

ST. PAUL — Democratic U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison has joined those who say they will not attend Donald Trump’s presidential inauguration.

Ellison, who is campaigning to be the next chair of the Democratic National Committee, announced Monday on Twitter that he will skip the event, saying: “I will not celebrate a man who preaches a politics of division and hate.”

Trump has come under criticism in recent days after he lashed out at U.S. Rep. John Lewis on Twitter. Trump said the civil rights leader was “all talk” after Lewis questioned the legitimacy of Trump’s election.

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More than two dozen other lawmakers have said they would also boycott Friday’s inauguration.