Donald Trump reignited his feud with John Lewis on Tuesday, citing news reports that the Georgia congressman and civil rights icon also boycotted George W. Bush's inauguration 16 years ago.
"John Lewis said about my inauguration, 'It will be the first one that I've missed," Trump tweeted. "WRONG (or lie)! He boycotted Bush 43 ..."
Lewis' office acknowledged Tuesday that the congressman also skipped Bush's inauguration in 2001.
"His absence at that time was also a form of dissent," spokeswoman Brenda Jones said. "He did not believe the outcome of that election, including the controversies around the results in Florida and the unprecedented intervention of the U.S. Supreme Court, reflected a free, fair and open democratic process.”
Lewis told NBC's Meet the Press over the weekend he would not attend Trump's swearing-in Friday because he does not regard him as a legitimate president in the wake of evidence that Russia interfered in the election in an effort to sabotage the candidacy of Hillary Clinton.
Trump attacked Lewis — and his Atlanta-based district — after those comments, and more than 40 congressional Democrats responded that they would also boycott Friday's inauguration.
In a pair of tweets, Trump cited a Washington Post report that Lewis stayed in Atlanta during Bush's 2001 inauguration because of questions surrounding his Florida recount victory over Al Gore.
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...
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 17, 2017
"thought it would be hypocritical to attend Bush's swearing-in....he doesn't believe Bush is the true elected president." Sound familiar! WP
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 17, 2017
