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Not all of Oregon's lawmakers will attend Trump inauguration

A growing number of Democratic lawmakers are taking a stand against Donald Trump's presidency by skipping his inauguration on Friday.

<p>From left to right, Oregon Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D), Rep. Peter DeFazio (D) and Rep. Kurt Schrader (D) will not attend Donald Trump's inauguration.</p>

A growing number of Democratic lawmakers are taking a stand against Donald Trump’s presidency by skipping his inauguration on Friday.

Oregon has seven members of Congress: two in the Senate and five in the House. Three House members – Earl Blumenauer, Kurt Schrader and Peter DeFazio – will all forgo the inauguration and instead head home to Oregon.

Here’s the full list of what Oregon’s Congressional delegation will do during the inauguration:

Not attending Trump’s inauguration

Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D)

Blumenauer was the first Oregon congressman to announce he was skipping the inauguration.

He wrote a Facebook post on Jan. 7 explaining that his constituents have wide-ranging concerns about a Trump presidency.

“I will forgo the inauguration, spending the day instead in my district talking with Oregonians to hear their priorities, try to answer their questions, and prepare for the coming assault on the values and programs we hold dear,” Blumenauer wrote. “It is hard to think of a better use of my time on January 20th.”

Rep. Kurt Schrader (D)

Schrader plans to be in Oregon on Friday.

He told OPB News he has met Trump before and wasn’t impressed.

“He’s the president of the United States now, so I’ll do my best to work with him when I think he’s doing the right thing for the country,” Schrader told OPB. “But he hasn’t proved himself to me at all yet, so I respectfully decline to freeze my ass out there in the cold for this particular ceremony.”

He’s the president of the United States now, so I’ll do my best to work with him when I think he’s doing the right thing for the country. But he hasn’t proved himself to me at all yet, so I respectfully decline to freeze my ass out there in the cold for this particular ceremony. -- Rep. Kurt Schrader (D)

Rep. Peter DeFazio (D)

DeFazio will be in Oregon on inauguration day.

“I will be in Oregon this week, meeting with my constituents and discussing their priorities for the year,” DeFazio said. “I usually do not attend presidential inauguration ceremonies and as a general rule try to avoid pomp and circumstance events in Washington.”

Will attend the inauguration

Sen. Ron Wyden (D)

Wyden said while he respects the choice some of his colleagues made to skip the ceremony, he will attend.

“To me this is about the institution of the presidency. It’s quite clear I’ve had some very profound disagreements with the president-elect. For example, I am pushing very hard for legislation that would require that all candidates and any president disclose their taxes. It’s a 40-year tradition ever since Watergate.”

Wyden added that he doesn’t plan to celebrate at the parties on Friday evening.

“I think there’s a Blazers game on TV that night,” he quipped.

Sen. Jeff Merkley (D)

Merkley plans to attend the inauguration, according to a spokesman. He said the senator feels he has a responsibility to attend.

At a rally on Sunday Merkley told reporters he sees the inauguration as a symbol of a peaceful transfer of power. But he added that he’ll continue to fight Trump’s “destructive” policies.

Rep. Greg Walden (R)

Walden is the lone Republican in the Oregon delegation so it’s natural he would attend.

“I will attend, as I did for both Bush and Obama. It's all part of the great American tradition of leaders coming together after the election and giving the next president an opportunity to govern as called upon by the American voters,” Walden said.

Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D)

Bonamici said she will attend to help ensure that Oregon is represented on the inaugural stage.

“The crowd at the inauguration should not just be those who supported Donald Trump. This government belongs to all of us. I will sit on the steps of our nation's Capitol as a representative of equal rights for all Americans, regardless of their race, religion, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity, or ethnicity. As the only woman in Oregon's Congressional delegation, I will be there to stand up for our continued efforts to secure equal pay, paid family leave, and retirement security,” Bonamici said in a statement.

The crowd at the inauguration should not just be those who supported Donald Trump. This government belongs to all of us. I will sit on the steps of our nation's Capitol as a representative of equal rights for all Americans, regardless of their race, religion, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity, or ethnicity. -- Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D)

She will also attend the Women’s March in Washington, D.C. on Saturday morning.

“As I march, I will be grateful that I live in a country that values free speech and the right of the people to peacefully assemble,” Bonamici said.

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