The duplicity of prominent Republicans who on Monday paid tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. despite years of them standing by President Donald Trump’s racist rhetoric and attacks, attempts to disenfranchise voters of color and bids to overturn the 2020 election result did not go unnoticed by CNN’s Don Lemon.
The “CNN Tonight†anchor named and shamed just some of Trump’s key allies — including Vice President Mike Pence, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and the outgoing president’s daughter and adviser, Ivanka Trump — for posting “empty tweets†in honor of the civil rights icon on MLK Day, the annual celebration of his life.
“Can you believe it?†asked Lemon.
“One Republican after another apparently hoping that you’ll forget their support for a president who used race to pit Americans against each other,†he said.
“Donald Trump created an environment where white supremacists and conspiracy theorists overran the Capitol of the United States of America. He used race to divide us from the very beginning,†Lemon later noted, adding: “All of that is the opposite of what Dr. King stood for, what he died for more than 50 years ago.â€
“One Republican after another apparently hoping that you’ll forget their support for a president who used race to pit Americans against each other.â€
– CNN’s @DonLemon discusses “empty tweets quoting Dr. King’s words” by Trump allies whose record are in conflict to MLK’s legacy. pic.twitter.com/T2IPQeBghO
— CNN Tonight (@CNNTonight) January 19, 2021
