Democratic Georgia Reps. John Lewis and Hank Johnson are planning to boycott President Donald Trump’s scheduled State of the Union speech, currently scheduled to take place Feb. 5.
Johnson and Lewis both confirmed to the Atlanta Journal Constitution that they will not attend the speech. Lewis also boycotted Trump’s State of the Union speech last year, as well as his 2017 inauguration. Lewis has a standing boycott of all Trump’s speeches. (RELATED: Van Jones: John Lewis, Sheila Jackson Lee Opposed Criminal Justice Reform Because ‘They Just Didn’t Want Trump To Have A Victory’)
“I have a problem with defiling the speaker’s chair in the House of Representatives,” Johnson said. “I don’t want to see it lowered, as is what happens when Donald Trump comes to our floor and starts talking about groups of people, particularly Latinos, and disparaging them as a people. I’d rather be somewhere else.”
DECATUR, GA – AUGUST 05: Congressman Hank Johnson attend 21 Savage And His Leading By Example Foundation Host 3rd Annual Issa Back 2 School Drive on August 5, 2018 in Decatur, Georgia. (Photo by Moses Robinson/Getty Images for Leading By Example Foundation)
Johnson came under fire earlier this year for comparing the president to Hitler.
“Adolf Hitler rose to power to lead Germany in 1932 after democratic elections. He rode a wave of nationalism and anti-Semitism to power,” Johnson said. “Replace anti-Semitism with all Latinos crossing our borders are rapists, drug dealers and murderers. Does that sound familiar?”
Johnson and Lewis’ fellow Georgia Democrat ,Stacey Abrams, is scheduled to give the Democratic response to Trump’s speech. Both Johnson and Lewis were staunch supporters of Abrams’ failed 2018 gubernatorial candidate.