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CHICAGO - Multiple members of Congress representing the Chicago area say they will not attend President Trump’s State of the Union speech on Tuesday night in protest.
Reps. Sean Casten, Mike Quigley, Delia Ramirez, and Jan Schakowsky, all Democrats, have said they will boycott the address, given annually to a joint session of Congress and other members of the federal government.
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What they're saying:
Casten, who represents parts of Chicago’s western and southern suburbs, explained his decision not to attend in a statement.
"My respect for the office of the President of the United States cannot abide the disrespect that Donald Trump shows to that office every day. As such, while I will watch the State of the Union elsewhere, I will not attend in person, as I am not interested in being used as a prop for his theatrics," he said.
Quigley, who represents large parts of Chicago’s North Side and parts of the northwest suburbs, said instead of the State of the Union address, he’ll attend a virtual town hall hosted by Indivisible Barrington.
"The state of the union is unstable. Trump’s poor decisions have left Americans divided and uncertain about their futures. He has driven up costs through tariffs, hiked premiums for health insurance, and deployed masked federal agents to kidnap and disappear innocent people," said Quigley in a statement.
Schakowsky, whose district includes parts of Chicago’s North Side and north and northwest suburbs, said her office has been "flooded" with calls from constituents asking her to skip Trump’s speech.
"I cannot, in good conscience, sit in that House chamber on Tuesday night and pretend everything is normal while families across my district are living in constant fear of this administration and fighting every day just to keep food on the table and a roof over their heads," she said in a statement.
Ramirez, whose district extends from Chicago’s Northwest side to the western suburbs, said instead of attending Trump’s address, she’ll participate in an event with other Democratic and progressive lawmakers called the "People’s State of the Union."
"Since day one, the Trump Administration has been clear about their priorities and the pain they are willing to inflict on our communities to benefit their billionaire bosses. Donald Trump will use the State of the Union address as a platform to gaslight the American people and normalize and justify their terror, abuse, and violations of our rights. I refuse to legitimize it," she said in a statement.
While Rep. Jesus "Chuy" Garcia, whose district includes Chicago’s Southwest Side and parts of the western suburbs, said earlier this month he would attend the address and bring Marimar Martinez, the woman shot by a Border Patrol agent last year in Chicago, as his guest. But last week, his office announced he had a "precautionary procedure early Friday morning following consultation with his cardiologist."
His office called the procedure a "preventative measure," but Garcia expected to "resume his regular schedule soon."