Raleigh’s congressman will be the only Democrat in Congress from North Carolina attending President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.
U.S. Rep. David Price, from Chapel Hill, will go to Friday’s swearing-in ceremony and inauguration event – as is custom for sitting members of Congress from both parties – but, he says he won’t be there without some objection.
“I am angered and disgusted by Donald Trump’s personal attacks on my colleague John Lewis, for whose personal and moral courage all Americans should be profoundly grateful,” Price said in a news statement. “I will be wearing a symbol of my respect for Rep. Lewis and the rule of law on my lapel on Friday.”
After Lewis publicly questioned over the weekend Trump’s legitimacy as president – basing his comment on FBI and CIA allegations of an orchestrated Russian campaign to help the Republican nominee’s chances of election – the president-elect made biting remarks about the Georgia congressman on Twitter.
Price’s office hasn’t yet said what kind of symbol he’ll will wear in Lewis’ honor. On Tuesday, a spokesperson said Price had talked extensively with his family, N.C. constituents and other Democrats in the U.S. House before deciding to attend.
On Tuesday morning, when the other two Democrats in North Carolina’s congressional delegation announced they wouldn’t go, Price said he was still undecided on attending inauguration. He’s never missed one since his first election to Congress in 1986.
Ultimately, the 15-term congressman said he’d go but not without criticizing what he calls Trump’s “evident disregard for democratic values and his willingness to stoke bigotry and the politics of hatred and exclusion.” Price said he has “grave questions” about the role Russia may played in the 2016 U.S. election, which is currently under U.S. intelligence community investigations.
Price said in a statement late Tuesday he decided to go because he has “pride in our country and the values we must uphold (and) pride in the rule of law,” adding that he’s “determined to make certain that no one, including our president, places himself above the law.”
Anna Douglas: 202-383-6012, @ADouglasNews