'Trump is marching America towards fascism': Chris Van Hollen to boycott State of the Union address

Senator Chris Van Hollen announced Wednesday that he will not be attending President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address on February 24. "Trump is marching America towards fascism, and I refuse to normalize his shredding of our Constitution & democracy. This cannot be business as usual," Hollen said. The Maryland Senator is the latest among a dozen other Democrats who are boycotting Trump's address to join a rally that they are calling the 'People's State of the Union'.

Hollen, along with senators Ed Markey (Massachusetts), Jeff Merkley (Oregon), Chris Murphy (Connecticut), Tina Smith (Minnesota), Patty Murray (Washington state) along with several House members, including Pramila Jayapal (Washington) and Greg Casar (Texas), have indicated that they will be attending the rally on the National Mall, being organised by MoveOn Civic Action and MeidasTouch. "Democratic lawmakers will be joined on stage by the everyday Americans most impacted by Trump’s dangerous agenda," the groups were quoted as saying by NBC News. 

"Donald Trump has made a mockery of the State of the Union speech – taking a moment that is meant to bring the country together and turning it into a campaign rally to spew hatred and division,” Senator Murphy had said, as per Newsweek. "Democrats have no obligation to reward him with an audience as he lies and attacks people who disagree with him. These aren't normal times, and showing up for this speech puts a veneer of legitimacy on the corruption and lawlessness that has defined his second term," he added.

The other US lawmakers joining the boycott include representatives Yassamin Ansari (Arizona), Becca Balint (Vermont), Veronica Escobar (Texas), Delia Ramirez (Illinois), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (New Jersey). In a press release last Tuesday, Ansari said that she will be bringing along a guest to the rally. "Last year, I walked out of President Trump's State of the Union because I refused to normalize the most corrupt and authoritarian administration in American history," she said adding, "This year, I am honored to be joined by Sonia, who has spent more than a year fighting for her loved one, Yari, who was stripped of her residency and imprisoned at the Eloy Detention Center, and is suffering from leukemia."

MoveOn Civic Action said the rally would be "counterprogramming President Trump’s night full of lies and misplaced priorities for the American people," Newsweek reported. Meanwhile, the White House has dismissed the boycott, with spokesperson Abigail Jackson saying, "It's not a surprise that they refuse to celebrate and honor the Americans who have benefited from the commonsense policies Republicans have governed with.