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"I can tell you that when I was at inaugurations, you don't forget something like that," Trump says
Lewis did not attend George W. Bush's first inauguration in 2001
President-elect Donald Trump continued his feud with Rep. John Lewis Tuesday, telling Fox News the civil rights icon is lying about not remembering that he skipped past inaugurations.
The Georgia congressman “conveniently doesn’t remember” and “got caught and it’s pretty bad,” Trump said.
Trump added that it’s fine if other congressmen don’t want to attend because “we need seats so badly.”
“John Lewis, he got caught in a bad lie. Let’s see what happens,” he told Fox News. “As far as other people not going, that’s OK because we need seats so badly. I hope they give me their tickets. I will give them to other people. I hope they’re going to give us their tickets.”
Lewis said on NBC’s “Meet The Press” last week that Trump’s inauguration would be “the first one that I miss since I’ve been in Congress.” He touched off the public back-and-forth with the President-elect in the same interview, saying he was not a “legitimate” president due to Russia’s alleged meddling in the 2016 election.
But it was later reported that Lewis did not attend George W. Bush’s 2001 inauguration, either.
“I can tell you that when I was at inaugurations, you don’t forget something like that,” Trump said. “And it’s making him look bad.”
A message left with Lewis’ office Tuesday night was not immediately returned.
Trump’s comments Tuesday evening follow similar ones he made earlier in the day.
These Democrats aren’t attending Trump’s inauguration
“John Lewis said about my inauguration, ‘It will be the first one that I’ve missed.’ WRONG (or lie)! He boycotted Bush 43 also because he … ‘thought it would be hypocritical to attend Bush’s swearing-in….he doesn’t believe Bush is the true elected president.’ Sound familiar! WP”
Lewis’ announcement last week touched off waves of fellow House Democrats to also announce they would not be attending the inauguration, and about four dozen are currently choosing not to go.