California Democrat Says Respect for Office of POTUS Trumps Personal Politics

image
Published: 16 Jan, 2017
1 min read

San Diego, Calif. - U.S. Rep. Scott Peters (D-Calif.) released a statement Monday announcing that he will be attending President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration ceremony Friday, saying he "greatly respects the office of the Presidency, even if he does not respect the man who will now inhabit it."

Peters' statement comes after headlines flooded social media about members of Congress who have said they will not attend the Presidential Inauguration. These lawmakers include a half dozen Democrats from California.

On Sunday, U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) tweeted:

https://twitter.com/MaxineWaters/status/820675584418267136

Peters, however, says he was elected to do a job and will show up Friday to "bear witness to the peaceful transition of power, which remains the bedrock of our democracy."

He added:

“I greatly respect the office of the Presidency, even if I don't respect the man who will now inhabit it. So I will join Presidents Obama and Clinton, Secretary Clinton, Senator Harris, and hundreds of my colleagues at the inauguration. And then, the next day, I'll join my wife, daughter, and dozens of San Diegans and march to send a clear message to our new President about what we stand for."The ability to respect the office of the Presidency and acknowledge the results of an election, but then turn around the next day and continue to fight for justice and progress, is the very essence of what it means to be free in this country."

Peters represents California's 52nd congressional district, located in San Diego. His district is nearly evenly split between Democrats, Republicans, and No Party Preference (independent) voters.

Peters said he will also be attending the Women's March on Washington on Saturday.

You Might Also Like

Ballrooms, Ballots, and a Three-Way Fight for New York
Ballrooms, Ballots, and a Three-Way Fight for New York
The latest Independent Voter Podcast episode takes listeners through the messy intersections of politics, reform, and public perception. Chad and Cara open with the irony of partisan outrage over trivial issues like a White House ballroom while overlooking the deeper dysfunctions in our democracy. From California to Maine, they unpack how the very words on a ballot can tilt entire elections and how both major parties manipulate language and process to maintain power....
30 Oct, 2025
-
1 min read
California Prop 50 gets an F
Princeton Gerrymandering Project Gives California Prop 50 an 'F'
The special election for California Prop 50 wraps up November 4 and recent polling shows the odds strongly favor its passage. The measure suspends the state’s independent congressional map for a legislative gerrymander that Princeton grades as one of the worst in the nation....
30 Oct, 2025
-
3 min read
bucking party on gerrymandering
5 Politicians Bucking Their Party on Gerrymandering
Across the country, both parties are weighing whether to redraw congressional maps ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Texas, California, Missouri, North Carolina, Utah, Indiana, Colorado, Illinois, and Virginia are all in various stages of the action. Here are five politicians who have declined to support redistricting efforts promoted by their own parties....
31 Oct, 2025
-
4 min read