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“President Trump’s attendance and his hurtful policies are an
insult to the people portrayed in this civil rights museum,"
Lewis said in a statement.
The statement by the Georgia Democrat, who has served in
Congress for 31 years, and Mississippi Democratic U.S.
Representative Bennie Thompson mentioned Trump's "disparaging
comments about women, the disabled, immigrants, and National
Football League players."
Trump said earlier this week that he would attend the opening of
the museum in Jackson, the state capital.
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
(NAACP) has denounced Trump's planned attendance.
Lewis and Thompson said in their statement that Trump had shown
"disrespect" for people who fought for civil rights in
Mississippi.
White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders, responding to the
Lewis-Thompson statement, said, "We think it’s unfortunate that
these members of Congress wouldn’t join the president in
honoring the incredible sacrifice civil rights leaders made to
right the injustices in our history. The President hopes others
will join him in recognizing that the movement was about
removing barriers and unifying Americans of all backgrounds.”
(Reporting by Bernie Woodall in Fort Lauderdale, Florida;
Editing by Toni Reinhold)
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