ICYMI: Rep. Katherine Clark Boycotting Trump Inauguration

WASHINGTON, DC—The Massachusetts congressional delegation will be without one member at the Jan. 20 inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, as Rep. Katherine Clark (D-Melrose) plans to boycott the inauguration as a form of protest, she announced with a statement on Thursday.

"Families in my district are fearful that the anti-woman, anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim, and divisive promises that drove the Trump campaign will become the policies affecting the health and safety of every American," she wrote.

Clark, who represents the 5th Massachusetts district, which includes Sudbury, Wayland, Natick and Holliston, told the Globe that she believes attending the inauguration would "normalize" the President-elect's promotion of "bigoted, misogynistic, anti-Semitic and racist claims. Clark disagreed with the notion that it was important to attend the inauguration out of respect for tradition, telling the Globe she did not feel the need to "attend the pageantry associated with and for this president."

Staunch Trump critics Sen. Ed Markey and Sen. Elizabeth Warren have also confirmed they would attend. Rep. Michael Capuano of Somerville told the Globe he may not attend due to a scheduling conflict, but that his potential absence would not be to make a statement.

Read more from the Boston Globe here.

Joe Lipovich, Patch staff , contributed to this report

Photo via Congresswoman Katherine Clark's official website