Marco Rubio ripped for tweeting tribute to late Congressman John Lewis – with a photo of Elijah Cummings
SENATOR Marco Rubio was blasted on Twitter after sharing a photo of himself with the late Elijah Cummings in a tribute post to civil rights icon Rep John Lewis. Rubio made the social media goof on Saturday afternoon hours after the news of Lewis’ death. The Florida senator shared a photo of himself with Cummings, […]
SENATOR Marco Rubio was blasted on Twitter after sharing a photo of himself with the late Elijah Cummings in a tribute post to civil rights icon Rep John Lewis.
Rubio made the social media goof on Saturday afternoon hours after the news of Lewis’ death.
The Florida senator shared a photo of himself with Cummings, a civil rights advocate and House representative for Maryland who died in 2019, thinking it was Lewis.
“It was an honor to know & be blessed with the opportunity to serve in Congress with JohnLewis (sic) a genuine & historic American hero,” said Rubio, who also changed his profile picture to the tweeted pic.
“May the Lord grant him eternal peace.”
Rubio deleted the tweet moments later, but not before Twitter users spotted the blunder and blasted him for his mistake on social media.
“Marco Rubio’s tweet about John Lewis – which is now his profile pic – is a photo of Elijah Cummings,” said Oliver Willis.
“Wrong Black guy,” said Wesley Lowery.
“Really great stuff @marcorubio I’m sure you’re heartbroken by the way that’s not John Lewis that’s Elijah Cummings,” said Jordan Uhl.
“That awkward moment when you reveal that you think all Black people look alike, @marcorubio,” said Adam Lance Garcia.
Lewis, who had served as House representative for Georgia since 1987, died late Friday night after receiving hospice care to treat pancreatic cancer.
He is remembered as a staunch civil rights advocate and for leading 600 protesters across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma in 1965, an event that would later be known as the Bloody Sunday march.
Then 25 years old, Lewis fractured his skull after he was shoved to the ground and beaten by cops in Alabama.
The nationally televised event bolstered support for the civil rights movement.
Images of Lewis’ brutal assault by cops prompted Congress to pass the Voting Rights Act of 1965, ensuring that all Black Americans were given equal rights to vote as all others.
A flood of tributes to the late civil rights legend hit social media moments after his death was reported.
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To honor Lewis’ contributions to history, President Donald Trump ordered flags lowered to half-staff at the White House on Saturday afternoon.
“As a mark of respect for the memory and longstanding public service of Representative John Lewis, of Georgia, I hereby order, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds,” Trump said in a proclamation regarding Lewis’ death.