President-elect Donald Trump responded to John Lewis saying he’s not a “legitimate president,” and what he said got quite a lot of Twitter blowback.
Lewis invoked Russia yesterday in explaining his comment, and this is how Trump responded:
Congressman John Lewis should spend more time on fixing and helping his district, which is in horrible shape and falling apart (not to……
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 14, 2017
mention crime infested) rather than falsely complaining about the election results. All talk, talk, talk – no action or results. Sad!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 14, 2017
A lot of Democratic members of Congress were quick to fire back:
To my dear friend & Brother @repjohnlewis: thank you for taking action to make this country better. pic.twitter.com/oyYFZE02JR
— Elijah E. Cummings (@RepCummings) January 14, 2017
.@repjohnlewis is a hero and I'm lucky to call him a colleague. You sir are not half the man he is. @realDonaldTrump https://t.co/f7VwPYQNiz
— Brendan Boyle (@RepBrendanBoyle) January 14, 2017
.@repjohnlewis knows true sacrifice. @realDonaldTrump has no clue. When cluelessness collides with power oppression results. Resistance! https://t.co/Eu1vWbetsl
— Rep. Keith Ellison (@keithellison) January 14, 2017
.@realDonaldTrump: This is not talk. @repjohnlewis is an American hero. pic.twitter.com/UNQAWjVwhC
— Ron Wyden (@RonWyden) January 14, 2017
John Lewis is an icon of the Civil Rights Movement who is fearless in the pursuit of justice and equality. He deserves better than this. https://t.co/WX1QDCKfzP
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) January 14, 2017
John Lewis is an American hero.
You're a fake billionaire who won't release his taxes.
Put down Twitter and get serious about governing. https://t.co/LIvpXhX2wX
— David Cicilline (@davidcicilline) January 14, 2017
.@repjohnlewis is a hero who has given his life to equal rights. He's been locked up, beaten up, spit on and still never lost his fight
— Gerry Connolly (@GerryConnolly) January 14, 2017
Trump's tweets are repulsive
— Gerry Connolly (@GerryConnolly) January 14, 2017
Ahead of #MLKday2017, let us remember that many have tried to silence @repjohnlewis over the years. All have failed.
— Nancy Pelosi (@NancyPelosi) January 14, 2017
.@realDonaldTrump stands with V. Putin. I stand with @repjohnlewis.
— (((Rep. Nadler))) (@RepJerryNadler) January 14, 2017
Here's a tip: Instead of attacking civil rights icons like John Lewis, reach out to all the Americans feeling threatened by your presidency. https://t.co/BjRfOAUIgX
— Rep. Jim McGovern (@RepMcGovern) January 14, 2017
.@repjohnlewis dedicated his life to fighting injustice & changing the course of our nation's history. Truly an honor to serve with him. pic.twitter.com/uMkFfmX6sq
— Rep. Salud Carbajal (@RepCarbajal) January 14, 2017
Cowardly @realDonaldTrump isn't fit to polish hero @repjohnlewis's boots.
— Yvette D. Clarke (@RepYvetteClarke) January 14, 2017
On @MSNBC, I stood up for my brother @repjohnlewis and discussed the need to investigate Russian interference https://t.co/TMF0UA4lCx pic.twitter.com/y1DQQPDSyi
— Gregory Meeks (@GregoryMeeks) January 14, 2017
Once again, @realDonaldTrump shows how profoundly unfit he is to be President with his attack on American hero @repjohnlewis On MLK weekend.
— Jim Himes (@jahimes) January 14, 2017
We stand with @repjohnlewis. pic.twitter.com/M4MUQi7HtF
— House Democrats (@HouseDemocrats) January 14, 2017
Even the Republican senator who reached out to Lewis last night about why he should attend the inauguration expressed that Trump went too far:
John Lewis and his "talk" have changed the world.https://t.co/qeUloAkeTx https://t.co/aH2vDLjKk9
— Ben Sasse (@BenSasse) January 14, 2017
And more reactions came flooding in:
It's telling, I'm afraid, that Donald Trump treats Vladimir Putin with more respect than he does John Lewis.
— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) January 14, 2017
"All talk" pic.twitter.com/3vYXHDsnni
— Jenny Han (@jennyhan) January 14, 2017
Imagine in a world in which a President-elect could reach out to a civil rights hero with grace and magnanimity.
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) January 14, 2017
.@RealDonaldTrump Keep @RepJohnLewis' name out yo' mouth! pic.twitter.com/uKDj52tNWn
— George Wallace (@MrGeorgeWallace) January 14, 2017
Today's Trump Twitter Tantrum: American psycho attacks American icon. https://t.co/DunfV1hux9
— Ana Navarro (@ananavarro) January 14, 2017
Clearly John Lewis is unfamiliar with Trump's seminal civil rights missive: "Tweet from a Manhattan Penthouse."
— jeremy scahill (@jeremyscahill) January 14, 2017
On this Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, let it be clear that John Lewis is an American patriot. Trump's attacks on him further confirm it. pic.twitter.com/WavPT36Atu
— Evan McMullin (@Evan_McMullin) January 14, 2017
There are some places you just don't go: and a silver-spoon, draft dodger calling John Lewis all talk is one of them!
— Amy Siskind (@Amy_Siskind) January 14, 2017
The only 2 legit heroes in US political life – whose stories ring through history -are John Lewis & John McCain. Trump attacked them both. https://t.co/GNlRYvsIfN
— Spencer Ackerman (@attackerman) January 14, 2017
UPDATE –– 12:12 pm ET: Another Democrat standing by Lewis announced he would be boycotting the inauguration too:
"All talk, no action."
I stand with @repjohnlewis and I will not be attending the inauguration. pic.twitter.com/z8Q0wA9OPK
— Mark Takano (@RepMarkTakano) January 14, 2017
[image via screengrab]
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