Trump blasts civil rights icon John Lewis in Twitter attack
President-elect Donald Trump railed against civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis, D-Georgia, in two tweets Saturday morning, following the congressman’s plans to boycott next week’s inauguration.
The president-elect disparaged Lewis as “All talk, talk talk - no action or results” and attacking him for representing a Georgia district Mr. Trump claimed was “crime infested” and “falling apart.”
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
Trump tweeted one more tweet Saturday night, writing that Lewis should focus on the “burning and crime-infested inner cities.”
Congressman John Lewis should finally focus on the burning and crime infested inner-cities of the U.S. I can use all the help I can get!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 15, 2017
The attacks, launched just two days before the nation celebrates the civil rights legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., follow Lewis’ decision to sit out the presidential inauguration Friday. On missing the ceremony -- the first in three decades that Lewis will not be present for -- the Georgia Democrat told NBC in an interview, “you cannot be at home with something that you feel that is wrong.”
Lewis also contested Mr. Trump’s legitimacy as president in his NBC interview scheduled to air Sunday.
“I don’t see this president-elect as a legitimate president,” he said. “I think the Russians participated in helping this man get elected. And they helped destroy the candidacy of Hillary Clinton.”
After Mr. Trump’s pointed missives, several Twitter users came to Lewis’ immediate defense, tweeting their own critical messages to the president-elect and reminding him of the Georgia congressman’s record on civil rights.
Legislators on both sides of the aisle made public statements on the Democrat’s behalf:
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
John Lewis and his "talk" have changed the world.https://t.co/qeUloAkeTx https://t.co/aH2vDLjKk9
— Ben Sasse (@BenSasse) 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
One Republican strategist pointed out the irony of lashing out at Lewis, a former chair of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee who risked his life organizing sit-ins and marches to fight racial injustice in the Jim Crow South, on the eve of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
You have to hit back. Can't help yourself. But accusing John Lewis of being all talk on MLK weekend? That's your plan? https://t.co/FlA7a8EyYF
— Rory Cooper (@rorycooper) January 14, 2017
Others mentioned Lewis’ actions during “Bloody Sunday” in 1965, when he attempted to lead a march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, that ended in brutal police action against protesters.
John Lewis did more to make America great in one day on the Edmund Pettus Bridge than Donald Trump ever will. pic.twitter.com/C0o3HQV5xp
— howard wolfson (@howiewolf) January 14, 2017
Actually, Rep. Lewis' actions earned him a cracked skull & helped result in a more just society.
— Mo Elleithee (@MoElleithee) January 14, 2017
You have a lot of catching up to do. https://t.co/scsiwudaHz
.@realDonaldTrump John Lewis has faced down bullies, bigotry and tyrants his entire life and overcome them all. Don't mess with John Lewis. pic.twitter.com/2cXi7rPL3S
— Joshua DuBois (@joshuadubois) January 14, 2017
And still other journalists and historians pointed out the factual inaccuracies in Mr. Trump’s tweets about the district represented by Lewis, a 16-term congressman.
Im a historian of Atlanta & have lived in Lewis' dist. Beyond the personal attack, this is simply not true. Anyone in real estate knows that https://t.co/VieDLWH5ru
— Kelly Gannon (@K_Gannon) January 14, 2017
Hardly the most egregious part of the Trump tweet, but Lewis represents the nicest parts of Atlanta. Black congressman does not = slumlord.
— Dave Weigel (@daveweigel) January 14, 2017