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Congresswoman Clark announces plans to break tradition, not attend inauguration

WALTHAM, Mass. — More than two dozen elected officials are breaking with tradition and not attending President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration Friday.

One of them is Massachusetts Congresswoman Katherine Clark, who made her announcement on Twitter.

“After discussions with hundreds of my constituents, I do not feel that I can contribute to the normalization of the President –elect’s divisive rhetoric by participating in the Inauguration,” Clark tweeted.

Clark represents the Massachusetts’ 5th Congressional District, which includes towns in Middlesex, Suffolk and Worcester Counties.

Clark got applause for the decision at a Martin Luther King Jr. Day event in Cambridge, but not all of the people she represents feel the same way.

“I don't think it's respectful. I think it's disrespectful. Pretty sure,” Gary from Woburn said.

So far, Clark is the only Massachusetts representative who has announced plans not to attend.

“We have to support our President-elect no matter what you think of him,” Kim Fox from Woburn said.

Others in the district say Clark doing what she feels she needs to do is her business.

“I respect her opinion. Because it's her opinion. It's not anybody else's. It's hers. And she can't change that,” Richard Conteras, a voter from Woburn, said.

FOX25 Political Consultant Tom Whalen said Clark is potentially hurting herself and the state.

“It sends the wrong message to her constituents and really sends the wrong message to the rest of the country. Because this kind of confirms the image of Massachusetts kind of being an extremist political state,” he said.  “We have a Republican in the White House. We're a blue state. And you know a lot of federal funds are going to be at stake.”