Bay Area Democrats were united Tuesday at an Oakland event to support local labor unions. When the subject turned to the upcoming presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, some said they're staying away in protest.
"An inauguration is a celebration," Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, said. "I don't believe I can clap and be happy in terms of what's taking place, in terms of the agenda of this next president."
Congressman Mark DeSaulnier, of Concord, also said he's passing on attending Friday.
"He said he and his attorney were gonna decide what the ethics rules were," DeSaulnier said. "I thought that was a real message that he continues to think rules don't apply to him."
Other local lawmakers said that going to Trump's inauguration is step one in fighting to make sure their constituents are heard.
"I want the president-elect to know that when it comes to what happened with Russia, it's not going away," Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Dublin, said. "I will continue to ask questions about that."
Rep. Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael, is joining Lee and DeSaulnier in skipping Friday's ceremony.
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"I know some pretty bad and dangerous things are coming with this man, so I had to think about what kind of message I wanted to send," Huffman said. "I cannot, in good conscience, sit and politely clap and pretend that everything is just fine."
Across the nation, more than 50 Democratic lawmakers have said they are boycotting the inauguration.
