Rep. Raul Ruiz Planning to Skip Donald Trump's Inauguration

PALM SPRINGS, CA – Rep. Raul Ruiz, D-Palm Desert, said today he will be skipping Friday's inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump in the nation's capital, making him the second Riverside County congressman to pledge to stay away.

Ruiz, speaking to KMIR News, said he "respects the office, but not the man," and thus would join at least a dozen other Democratic members of Congress from California -- including Rep. Mark Takano, D-Riverside -- in skipping the traditionally bipartisan affair.

Ruiz said he did not believe Trump was "acting as a legitimate president," citing the Russian hacking controversy, Twitter fights with celebrities and other politicians, the president-elect's comments on Latinos and women, his treatment of the press and alleged conflicts of interest.

"Donald Trump does not respect the office of the presidency, nor does he respect the American people," Ruiz said.

"A real president doesn't attack the press for asking tough questions. A real president doesn't go after celebrities and everyday Americans because he doesn't agree with them," he said. "A real president doesn't use the office of the presidency to make millions more for himself, in his own pocket, and his family."

The number of members of Congress pledging to boycott the inauguration began ticking up after a feud erupted between Trump and Democratic Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga.

On Friday, Lewis told NBC's "Meet the Press" that he would not be attending the inauguration and that he did not believe Trump would be a "legitimate president," accusing Russia of helping to elect him.

Trump took to Twitter the next day and fired back at the congressman, a lauded civil rights leader.

"Congressman John Lewis 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," Trump tweeted.

The comments by Trump drew ire from Democratic lawmakers across the country, and at least 28 members of Congress have now RSVP'd in the negative to the swearing-in of the nation's 44th president.

At least one in five members of California's congressional delegation are planning to boycott the event, according to the Los Angeles Times.

They include Reps. Ted Lieu, D-Torrance, Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, Judy Chu, D-Monterey Park, Maxine Waters, D-Los Angeles, Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael, Mark DeSaulnier, D-Concord, and Lucille Roybal-Allard, D-Los Angeles.

"After much thought, I have decided to stand with John Lewis and not attend the inauguration," Chu said in a weekend Twitter posting.

Waters tweeted that she "never contemplated" attending the transfer-of- power ceremony.

Lieu said: "Trump -- who lost the popular vote -- has made a series of racist, sexist and bigoted statements."

Rep. Tony Cardenas, D-Panorama City, told The Times he was struggling with the deference traditionally accorded to a new president, and had not made up his mind whether to attend.

ALSO COMING UP THIS WEEK:

• 2017 Southwest Arts Festival - Indio
• Eighth Annual Pass Area Veterans Expo
• Educational STEAM Activities at Beaumont Library
• Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: Palm Springs

--City News Service/Image courtesy of Congressman Raul Ruiz, MD