Updated: More Illinois Representatives Are Skipping Trump's Inauguration

By Stephen Gossett in News on Jan 17, 2017 9:33PM

Update: 1/18:
Rep. Jan Schakowsky announced on Wednesday morning that she also will not attend Trump's inauguration on Friday. She will join the Women's March of Washington instead.

Original:
At least two more representatives from the Chicago area will not be attending Donald Trump’s swearing-in on Friday.

The offices of Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL 5th District) and Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-IL 3rd District) both confirmed that neither lawmaker will attend the Orange Pox’s Trump’s inauguration, the Tribune reports.

Among Illinois reps, Quigley and Lipinski join Luis Gutierrez (D-IL 4th District), who was well ahead of the no-show trend when he announced in early December that he would attend scheduled rallies—such as the potentially historic Women’s March on Washington—instead.

Lipinski would rather be “working in his district and spending time with his wife” to watching the inauguration ceremony and attending parties in Washington," his spokesman Isaac Sancken told the paper. Quigley is expected to expound on his choice within a couple of days.

Even though both have either met or spoken with Trump, neither Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner nor Democrat Mayor Rahm Emanual will attend the inauguration either. “I’m focused on Illinois. I really try to minimize the distractions,” Rauner said earlier this month when he publicized his decision. “I minimize my time out of state.”

More than 50 Democratic legislators have announced their intentions to skip Friday’s inauguration, lending further credence to recent polls that suggest Trump will be one of the most unpopular incoming presidents in modern history.

While Democrats have had much to bemoan about Trump in recent weeks—from his tepid response to Russian interference to his, um, curious celebu-advisers—it was PEOTUS’ denigrating tweets toward civil-rights icon Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) and the state of his district that prompted boycott to balloon.

Check out the Tribune's full scoop—including what appears to be some still-up-in-the-air uncertainty from Reps. Robin Kelly, of Matteson and Jan Schakowsky—here.