Dozens of Democrats Boycott Trump's State of the Union

Several Democratic lawmakers plan to boycott President Donald Trump's State of the Union address on Tuesday night at the U.S. Capitol, opting instead for counter-events to highlight criticisms of the administration's policies. At least three dozen members of Congress, including senators and representatives, will skip the 9 p.m. ET speech, while others intend to attend with guests affected by federal actions on immigration and other issues.

The boycott reflects a coordinated effort among Democrats to voice opposition without disrupting the chamber, following guidance from House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. He advised members to either attend in "silent defiance" or participate in alternative programming near the Capitol. A key counter-event, called the People's State of the Union, will take place on the National Mall starting around 8 p.m. Organized by the advocacy group MoveOn and the media network MeidasTouch, the rally will feature lawmakers such as Senators Chris Murphy of Connecticut, Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, Ed Markey of Massachusetts, Jeff Merkley of Oregon, Tina Smith of Minnesota and Adam Schiff of California, along with Representatives Pramila Jayapal of...