Rep. John Lewis: ‘I Don’t See Trump as a Legitimate President’

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by CHUCK TODD, SALLY BRONSTON and MATT RIVERA

 

In an exclusive interview with NBC News' "Meet the Press," Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., said he does not believe Donald Trump is a "legitimate president," citing Russian interference in last year's election.

Asked whether he would try to forge a relationship with the president-elect, Lewis said that he believes in forgiveness, but added, "it's going to be very difficult. I don't see this president-elect as a legitimate president."

When pressed to explain why, he cited allegations of Russian hacks during the campaign that led to the release of internal documents from the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton's campaign co-chairman, John Podesta.

"I think the Russians participated in helping this man get elected. And they helped destroy the candidacy of Hillary Clinton," Lewis told NBC News.

Trump appeared to acknowledge this week that Russia did engage in hacking during the campaign, but he has vigorously argued that any foreign interference had no impact on the election's outcome.

Trump fired back at Lewis questioning his legitimacy as the incoming president in a pair of tweets Saturday morning, saying that the long-serving Georgia Congressman should "spend more time on fixing and helping his district, which is in horrible shape and falling apart (not to mention crime infested) rather than falsely complaining about the election results."

 

Lewis, also a recognized civil rights leader, represents a district that covers most of metropolitan Atlanta as well as historically black schools, including Morehouse College and Spelman College.

Lewis told NBC News that he does not plan on attending President-elect Trump's swearing-in next Friday.

"It will be the first one that I miss since I've been in Congress," he said. "You cannot be at home with something that you feel that is wrong, is not right."

 

http://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/john-lewis-trump-won-t-be-legitima...

il·le·git·i·mate

adjective

1. 

not authorized by the law; not in accordance with accepted standards or rules.

"an illegitimate exercise of power by the military"

synonyms:illegal, unlawful, illicit, criminal, felonious; More

Outrage After Trump Insults Civil Rights Icon John Lewis

"I believe in forgiveness. I believe in trying to work with people. It will be hard. It's going to be very difficult. I don't see this president-elect as a legitimate president," Rep. John Lewis says 

http://www.commondreams.org/news/2017/01/14/outrage-after-trump-insults-...

 

Looks like Comey's meeting Friday set Lewis off:

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2017/01/comey-wont-tell-house-dems-...

...

Embattled FBI director James Comey has refused to clarify whether his organization is investigating Donald Trump’s ties to Russia in a closed briefing on Friday for members of Congress, angering legislators who recall his high-profile interjections about Hillary Clinton during the 2016 presidential campaign

… Jerrold Nadler, a New York Democrat who had pressed Comey during a September hearing about his criteria for acknowledging an investigation, sharply asked Comey if the director was applying a double standard to Trump.

Comey had said in September testimony that his standard was a “a need for public to be reassured, [and] when it’s obvious, it’s apparent, given our activities, public activities that the investigation is ongoing.”

Nadler, according to a different source, then asked Comey in the Friday meeting: “Do you believe that standard has been met with reference to the possible investigation of the Trump campaign’s possible connections to the Russian government? And if not, why not?”

Comey dodged the question, sparking anger among attendees.

The Guardian reports that Comey was asked “over and over” to clarify his standards for acknowledging the existence of an FBI investigation, and that the FBI director repeatedly refused.

Democrats left the meeting spitting with rage.

“I was nonjudgmental until the last 15 minutes. I no longer have that confidence in him,” Minnesota Democrat Tim Walz told the Hill.

“I’m extremely concerned — extremely,” Maryland’s Elijah Cummings told the outlet.

“I’ll just — I’m very angry,” added Mark Takano of California.

Georgia congressman John Lewis went several steps further in an interview with NBC News, saying, “ I don’t see this president-elect as a legitimate president … I think the Russians participated in helping this man get elected. And they helped destroy the candidacy of Hillary Clinton.”

...

It's too difficult for me to read that script, Manfred.

Maybe time for new glasses. Is it just me?

thanks for feedback on that, I've been trying out the new features...looking for the "best" font for extended quoting.

That was comic sans, this is verdana, looks easier to read to me:

Democrats left the meeting spitting with rage.

“I was nonjudgmental until the last 15 minutes. I no longer have that confidence in him,” Minnesota Democrat Tim Walz told the Hill.

“I’m extremely concerned — extremely,” Maryland’s Elijah Cummings told the outlet.

“I’ll just — I’m very angry,” added Mark Takano of California.

Georgia congressman John Lewis went several steps further in an interview with NBC News, saying, “ I don’t see this president-elect as a legitimate president … I think the Russians participated in helping this man get elected. And they helped destroy the candidacy of Hillary Clinton.”

Much better, thanks.