Eliot Engel, the ranking member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and the U.S. Representative for New York’s 16th congressional district, decided to create some drama on Tuesday, announcing that for the first time in 29 years he would not take his customary seat on the aisle during the State of the Union address by so he could avoid shaking President Trump’s hand.
Engel stated, “Unfortunately since January 20 the new administration has shown no interest in working with the Congress on both sides to tackle problems including Russian’ unlawful interference in last year’s presidential election.”
Engel also asserted, “I have deep respect for the presidency and I will attend the joint session, but that respect between branches must be mutual. This goes beyond ideological and political differences.”
Engel’s partisanship has not been in evidence in his dealings at the Foreign Affairs Committee with House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Ed Royce, who is a Republican; they have collaborated frequently. Engel said of Royce, “I could take his speech and read it he could take mine and read it and we’d all agree with it.”
New York Rep. Joe Crowley, chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, told the Washington Examiner:
I don’t anticipate organized protests, that I’m aware of. I think that each member needs to be mindful of their own actions, that they are representatives of the House of Representatives and representatives of their constituency. As much as we have nothing in common with the president, we do respect the office of the presidency. I respect the office of the presidency itself, and keeping that in mind we will be polite, but we’ll show very little, if any enthusiasm at all for what I anticipate his speech will be about.
“This goes beyond ideological and political differences.”
Eliot Engel
Engel may be joined by Texas Democratic Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, whose spokeswoman stated, “At this hour, the congresswoman is not sure if she’ll reserve an aisle seat. Still playing things by ear.” Rep. Maxine Waters has already said she won’t attend the speech.
Engel has called for an investigation into President Trump’s ties with Russia, saying there are “far too many questions unanswered about this administration’s ties to Russia.”