7 Republicans Who Refused to Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of March on Washington

By ABS Contributor | Published on September 2, 2013 | Updated on September 2, 2013 1:10 PM EDT

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Martin Luther King Jr. lost his life in the pursuit of equality and inclusion for black people in America and to advance the cause of freedom and justice for all Americans. Yet, some politicians in Washington D.C., mainly from the Republican Party, couldn’t fit the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington into their schedules.

Here’s a rundown of the top Republicans, current and past leaders, who were invited to the 50th anniversary celebration, and the reasons why they reportedly decided not to show.

Senator Tim Scott, the only African-American in the Senate, did not attend the anniversary celebration. Scott (R-S.C.), told Roll Call through a spokesperson that he had not been invited. But the online newspaper reported on Thursday afternoon that an email confirmed that Scott’s office declined an invitation to the event earlier this month.

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