Washington correspondent
WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Dallas, plans to participate in activities honoring Martin Luther King Jr. at home Monday rather than attend President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.
“The idea of celebrating someone that I consider to continuously desecrate the work and the legacy of Martin Luther King on Martin Luther King Day — it was just kind of like a double whammy and an absolute no for me,” Crockett said. “He’s never shown me anything that would be worthy of me being in attendance there instead of being with people that want to pay honor and homage to the work that was done by MLK.”
Several other Democrats in the Texas congressional delegation said they plan to skip the inauguration ceremonies marking the country’s latest peaceful transfer of power, which happens to fall on Martin Luther King Jr. Day this year.
“I was trapped here in the gallery the day of the insurrection, and incoming President Trump has promised to pardon the very people who threatened our lives on that day and who assaulted police officers,” said U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso. “Personally, I just, I can’t go.”
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Democratic U.S. Reps. Julie Johnson of Farmers Branch and Marc Veasey of Fort Worth expect to be there.
“I’m not a Trump fan at all. I think he’s terrible,” Veasey said. “I also think that this is the system that we have. We believe in it and we have to show that we want to make it better, and we have to show all of our constituents that we believe in it.”
Tickets for areas close to the Capitol were distributed to the public through congressional offices. Areas of the National Mall farther away don’t require tickets.
Crockett said her office worked to accommodate constituents who wished to attend the inauguration ceremony.
In interviews, Republicans in the state’s congressional delegation were enthusiastic about celebrating a new administration and turning the page on President Joe Biden’s four years.
Freshman U.S. Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Flower Mound, said he’s looking forward to the inauguration and digging into a mountain of work awaiting Republicans as they assume unified control of Congress and the White House.
“We’ve had four years of hell that the Democrats have unleashed on our country. I’m ready to take our country back,” Gill said. “I’m just thrilled Trump’s getting back here. We’re going to have a good time.”
U.S. Rep. Keith Self, R-McKinney, said the inauguration of a new president is not an everyday occurrence.
“The pageantry of the inauguration always ought to be a new start in America, and for Trump’s second term it certainly will be,” Self said.
Speaking earlier this week at an immigration policy event, U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Austin, said Alexis Nungaray will be one of his guests at the inauguration. Her 12-year-old daughter, Jocelyn, was killed last summer in Houston.
Two Venezuelan immigrants, who authorities say were in the country illegally, were charged with her murder. Roy has been a sharp critic of Biden’s immigration policies and called Alexis a “hero” in shining a light on the impact of those policies.
In an interview, Roy said Monday will be historic and Trump is bringing much-needed change to Washington.
“We should all be there and celebrate it,” Roy said.
Many Texans, including Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, also plan to attend the ceremony.
The Texas State Society will hold its traditional Black Tie and Boots ball Sunday night. Organizers declined to issue press credentials for the event, citing space constraints.
U.S. Reps. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, and Greg Casar, D-Austin, plan to miss the inauguration and will be attending the MLK march in San Antonio, one of the country’s largest events honoring the iconic civil rights leader.
Casar, who was recently elected chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said Democrats choosing not to attend the ceremonies are making personal decisions about how best to spend their time.
“We’re going to stand up against Trump’s worst attacks on people’s basic civil rights in this country,” Casar said. “That’ll happen whether progressives are at his inauguration or at MLK events in their district.”
Crockett said inaugurations should be about optimism for a new start for the country and giving the incoming president a shot, but she struggles to envision Trump moving to be a president for the entire country, even those who oppose him.
“If for some reason, Trump wakes up on the right side of the bed one day, then I will be the first to say that I was wrong and I will be the first to give due where it should be given,” Crockett said.
Joseph Morton covers the intersection of business and politics in the Washington Bureau. Before joining The News, Joseph worked for CQ Roll Call and the Omaha World-Herald. He graduated from the University of Missouri School of Journalism.
