Vice President-elect Mike PenceMichael (Mike) Richard PencePence posts, deletes photo of Trump campaign staff without face masks, not social distancing Pence threatens to deploy military if Pennsylvania governor doesn’t quell looting Pence on Floyd: ‘No tolerance for racism’ in US MORE on Sunday defended Donald TrumpDonald John TrumpSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote Warren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases Esper orders ‘After Action Review’ of National Guard’s role in protests MORE after the president-elect criticized Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) for saying he didn’t think Trump was a “legitimate president.”
“I was deeply disappointed to see someone of his stature question the legitimacy of Donald Trump’s election as president and say he’s not attending the inauguration,” Pence said on “Fox News Sunday.”
“I hope he reconsiders both positions.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Pence said he had great respect for the Georgia Democrat, but noted there is no question about the legitimacy of the presidential election. He said the American people should now be celebrating the transition of power.
Lewis was a key civil rights leader in the 1960s as chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. He was frequently arrested and beaten by police officers at protests, including on “Bloody Sunday” in Selma, Ala., in 1965.
Trump on Saturday targeted Lewis after the Democrat questioned the president-elect’s legitimacy and said he wouldn’t be attending the inauguration.
“I believe in forgiveness. I believe in trying to work with people. It will be hard. It’s going to be very difficult. I don’t see this president-elect as a legitimate president,” Lewis said in an interview with NBC on Friday.
“I think the Russians participated in helping this man get elected. And they helped destroy the candidacy of Hillary Clinton,” he added.
Click Here: Fjallraven Kanken Art Spring Landscape BackpacksTrump hit back, accusing Lewis of not doing enough for his district and delivering “no action or result.”
Pence said the president-elect has “the right to defend himself” when he is attacked by someone of Lewis’s stature.