State's delegation heading to inauguration, 'ready to start the fight'
U.S. Sens. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Chris Murphy, D-Conn., and U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, are not joining the growing number of Democratic lawmakers boycotting President-elect Donald Trump's swearing-in Friday.
The Connecticut lawmakers said they will attend the inauguration, but also intend to support the Women's March in the nation's capital the next day.
Trump's feud with Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., is prompting many of the Democrats to bail on the event. After Lewis said Trump is not a legitimate president, Trump responded via Twitter saying 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 election results. All talk, talk, talk - no action or results. Sad!"
Murphy said in a statement that he'll attend the inauguration out of respect for the office, but "will be ready to start the fight as soon as the swearing-in is over."
"If Donald Trump pursues the divisive, backwards, hurtful agenda as president that he has previewed as president-elect, I will fight him every step of the way," he said.
Murphy and his wife, Cathy, will host those traveling to Washington, D.C., for the Women's March. He will be looking after the couple's two sons, Owen 8, and Rider, 5, on Saturday while his wife marches.
Blumenthal also will attend the inauguration and the march. He said in a statement that he will be attending "out of respect for the peaceful transition of power" and as part of his official duties as senator.
"In the challenging, difficult days to come, I will be fighting for the people of Connecticut and the constitutional rights and values that make America great, even if it means standing up and speaking out in disagreement with this incoming administration," said Blumenthal, who will take part in the march Saturday with his wife, Cynthia.
Courtney will attend the inauguration and will march with his wife, Audrey, and daughter, Elizabeth.
As a friend and admirer of Lewis, Courtney said he was offended, like many others, by Trump's remarks and that he publicly stood by Lewis. But at the end of the day, the inaugural event is "about the office of the president and not about a specific individual," he said, also emphasizing the importance of a peaceful transfer of power.
At the state level, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, whose "first inclination was to decline," has decided to accept the invitation to attend, his office announced late last week.
"In the wake of this election and in opposition to many of the President-Elect's recent actions, we are called upon to stand up, dust ourselves off, to be seen, and to be heard. We should be represented at the inauguration as a signal that we are not going away, and that we are resolved to continue fighting for fairness, equality, and decency," the governor said in a statement.
State Rep. Devin Carney, R-Old Lyme, and state Sen. Art Linares, R-Westbrook, said through spokesmen that they won't be attending due to other commitments. Linares added that he was excited for Trump's inauguration and that he would be watching from "the best, most comfortable seat in the house: my television at home."
State Sen. Paul Formica, R-East Lyme, also won't be attending because he'll be working at the state Capitol all day, his spokeswoman said.
Stonington First Selectman Rob Simmons decided to go to the inauguration after he found out the committee hosting the event issued two tickets to every former member of Congress. Simmons represented the 2nd Congressional District from 2001 to 2007.
Simmons said he's interested to hear what Trump, "who has a very unusual style of expression," has to say Friday. This will be the sixth inauguration he's attended.
After redeeming flight miles, Simmons said his round-trip ticket cost $11 and that he was paying for his flight, not the town. He said he plans to spend his time at the Capitol productively by meeting on Thursday with "some of my former colleagues who are now chairing committees that can be useful to us when it comes to the Amtrak bypass, our fishermen."
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